Rhea County is located in southeastern Tennessee, along the Tennessee River corridor between Chattanooga and Knoxville. Formed in 1807 and named for Revolutionary War officer John Rhea, the county developed as part of the Appalachian Ridge-and-Valley region, with settlement and commerce tied to river transportation and later to rail and highway links. It is a small county by population, with roughly 33,000 residents, and remains predominantly rural in character. The landscape includes riverfront lowlands, rolling ridges, and extensive forested areas, supporting outdoor recreation and natural-resource uses. The local economy reflects a mix of manufacturing, energy-related activity associated with the Tennessee Valley Authority in the region, and service-sector employment centered in its towns. Dayton is the county seat and primary population center; it is also known for its association with the 1925 Scopes “Monkey Trial,” a nationally significant event in U.S. legal and cultural history.

Rhea County Local Demographic Profile

Rhea County is located in east-central Tennessee along the Tennessee River, between the Chattanooga and Knoxville metropolitan regions. The county seat is Dayton, and the county is part of the broader East Tennessee region.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Rhea County, Tennessee, the county’s population was 33,300 (2023 estimate), and 33,105 (2020 Census).

Age & Gender

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile:

  • Persons under 18 years: 20.0%
  • Persons 65 years and over: 22.3%
  • Female persons: 50.6% (male: 49.4%)

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile (race categories shown as shares of total population; Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity and can be of any race):

  • White alone: 94.2%
  • Black or African American alone: 1.2%
  • American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.3%
  • Asian alone: 0.5%
  • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.0%
  • Two or more races: 3.7%
  • Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 2.6%

Household & Housing Data

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile:

  • Households (2019–2023): 13,345
  • Persons per household (2019–2023): 2.39
  • Owner-occupied housing unit rate (2019–2023): 79.6%
  • Median value of owner-occupied housing units (2019–2023, in 2023 dollars): $195,500
  • Median selected monthly owner costs, with a mortgage (2019–2023): $1,306
  • Median selected monthly owner costs, without a mortgage (2019–2023): $401
  • Median gross rent (2019–2023): $789

For local government and planning resources, visit the Rhea County official website.

Email Usage

Rhea County is a largely rural county between Chattanooga and Knoxville, where lower population density and mountainous terrain can increase last‑mile network costs and create service gaps, shaping how residents access email and other online communication.

Direct county-level email-usage statistics are not typically published; email access trends are commonly inferred from household internet and device access. The most widely used proxy indicators come from the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov) American Community Survey tables on broadband subscriptions, computer ownership, and smartphone access. Lower broadband subscription rates or lower computer availability generally correspond to more mobile-only email use and greater reliance on public access points.

Age composition influences likely email adoption: older populations tend to have lower rates of home broadband and computer use and may rely more on smartphones or assisted access. County age structure is available through U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Rhea County.

Gender distribution is typically near parity and is not a primary driver of email access compared with age and connectivity.

Connectivity constraints are reflected in state and federal coverage and challenge datasets, including the FCC National Broadband Map and Tennessee’s broadband planning resources via the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

Mobile Phone Usage

Rhea County is in eastern Tennessee along the Tennessee River, between the Chattanooga metropolitan area to the southeast and the Cumberland Plateau to the northwest. The county includes small cities (notably Dayton) and extensive rural areas, with a mix of river valleys and more elevated terrain toward the plateau. This rural–small-town settlement pattern, combined with ridges/forested areas and long distances between towers, is a common driver of uneven mobile signal strength and performance within the county. Baseline population, housing, and commuting context is available through the U.S. Census Bureau’s county profiles on Census.gov.

Key distinction: network availability vs. household adoption

  • Network availability (supply-side): Where cellular providers report service (coverage) and where maps/modeling indicate a usable signal for 4G LTE or 5G.
  • Household adoption (demand-side): Whether residents subscribe to mobile service, rely on smartphones for internet access, and/or maintain fixed home broadband. Adoption is influenced by income, age, education, housing tenure, and local pricing/competition, not only coverage.

County-level reporting frequently provides stronger evidence for availability (via FCC datasets) than for mobile subscription/penetration (which is often published at state or national scale, with limited county granularity).

Mobile penetration or access indicators (where available)

County-level adoption metrics (limitations)

  • Direct “mobile penetration” (unique subscribers per capita) is not typically published at the county level in a standardized public series comparable to national cellular subscription statistics.
  • County-level indicators of internet access are available through the American Community Survey (ACS), including households with a computer and internet subscription, and households with cellular data plan-only service (mobile-only internet). These measures are household-focused and do not equal mobile subscriber penetration.
    • Primary source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS tables accessible via Census.gov (search terms commonly used include “internet subscription,” “cellular data plan,” and the relevant Rhea County geography filter).
  • Tennessee statewide broadband/adoption context is compiled by state entities and can be used as supporting context when county-specific mobile adoption is not reported:

Mobile internet usage patterns (4G, 5G availability)

4G LTE and 5G availability (coverage)

  • The most standardized public view of reported cellular coverage comes from the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC). The BDC provides provider-submitted coverage polygons for mobile broadband (including 4G LTE and 5G variants) and is commonly used to assess where service is reported as available.
    • Source: FCC National Broadband Map (searchable by county and address; includes mobile broadband layers and provider detail where available)
  • Interpretation limitations: FCC mobile coverage is based on provider submissions and modeling; it indicates reported availability, not guaranteed indoor coverage or actual speeds at a given location. Terrain, vegetation, building materials, and tower loading can reduce real-world performance relative to mapped availability.

Typical technology patterns in rural counties (without asserting county-specific shares)

  • In rural and mixed-terrain counties, 4G LTE typically remains the most geographically extensive baseline for mobile broadband, while 5G is more variable by location and provider footprint.
  • 5G performance can differ by band (low-band vs mid-band vs high-band). Public county-level breakdowns of band-specific deployment are not consistently available in a single official dataset; the FCC map provides availability by technology but does not uniformly translate into band-level performance expectations across all providers.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

What is measured publicly

  • The ACS provides indicators related to household computing and internet subscription types, including measures that can reflect smartphone-dependent internet access (for example, households with “cellular data plan” as the internet subscription type, including cellular-only households in some ACS tables). These measures do not enumerate smartphone models or operating systems.

Practical device mix (limitations at county level)

  • County-level public data on device categories (smartphone vs feature phone, hotspot devices, tablets used as primary access) is limited. Market-research panels and carrier analytics exist but are not typically published for a single county in a replicable way.
  • Official public datasets more commonly capture subscription type and access mode rather than device counts. As a result, the most defensible county-level statement is whether cellular-data-plan internet subscriptions are present and how they compare to fixed broadband subscriptions, as reported in ACS.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage in Rhea County

Geography, settlement pattern, and terrain

  • Lower population density and dispersed housing generally raise per-user infrastructure costs and can produce coverage gaps or weaker signal indoors, especially in areas with hills/ridges and forest cover.
  • River valley vs plateau-adjacent areas: Elevation changes and ridgelines can affect line-of-sight propagation, making coverage more “patchy” outside town centers and along smaller road corridors.

Socioeconomic and demographic influences (measured through ACS and related sources)

  • Income and affordability: Household income correlates with the likelihood of maintaining both fixed broadband and mobile service, and with the likelihood of relying on mobile-only internet.
  • Age distribution: Older populations tend to have lower rates of smartphone-centric usage and lower adoption of newer device replacement cycles, though they may still maintain basic mobile service.
  • Commuting and work patterns: Commuting to nearby employment centers and travel along major roadways can shape demand for reliable mobile data, especially for navigation and communication, but commuting does not substitute for household adoption data.

These demographic attributes can be quantified using county tables from Census.gov. General county governance and planning context is available from Rhea County’s official website.

Summary of what can be stated reliably with public data

  • Network availability: Best assessed using the FCC National Broadband Map, which distinguishes mobile broadband technologies and providers at fine geographic scales; it reflects reported availability rather than guaranteed performance.
  • Household adoption and mobile-only reliance: Best approximated using ACS internet subscription tables via Census.gov, which can identify the share of households using cellular data plans for internet access (including cellular-only households where reported).
  • Device type distribution (smartphone vs non-smartphone): Not consistently available in a public, county-level statistical series; ACS supports inference about mobile-internet reliance but does not directly count smartphones.

Social Media Trends

Rhea County is in southeastern Tennessee along the Tennessee River, with Dayton as the county seat and Spring City as another population center. The area’s economy and commuting patterns reflect a mix of small-city services, manufacturing, and access to nearby regional hubs in the Chattanooga area, factors that typically align with heavy smartphone-based social media use and strong reliance on major, general-purpose platforms.

User statistics (penetration and active use)

  • Local, county-specific social media penetration figures are not published in standard federal statistical products; most reliable measurement is available at the national (and sometimes state/metro) level rather than by county.
  • National benchmarks used as the best available proxy for local planning:
  • For population context and denominators (residents), use official county totals from the U.S. Census Bureau’s geography pages and ACS profiles. Source: U.S. Census Bureau data portal.

Age group trends (highest-using age groups)

National age gradients are consistent and are generally used to infer relative patterns in counties without direct local measurement:

  • 18–29: Highest adoption across most platforms; social media use is near-universal relative to older groups (Pew, 2023). Pew platform-by-age estimates.
  • 30–49: High usage overall; strong participation on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
  • 50–64: Moderate-to-high usage; Facebook and YouTube are typically dominant.
  • 65+: Lowest overall usage; Facebook and YouTube remain the primary platforms among users.

Gender breakdown

Pew’s platform-specific results show modest gender skews rather than large gaps, with patterns that commonly appear in local audiences as well:

  • Women tend to be more represented on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
  • Men tend to be more represented on Reddit and some discussion- or forum-oriented platforms. Source: Pew Research Center: platform use by gender.

Most-used platforms (percentages where available)

Using U.S. adult estimates (Pew Research Center, 2023) as the most reliable available percentages:

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

  • Video-centered consumption dominates: YouTube’s reach (83% of adults) indicates broad preference for video and “how-to” content; short-form video growth is reflected in TikTok’s adult usage (33%). Source: Pew platform reach estimates.
  • High-frequency checking is common among users: A substantial share of adults report near-constant social media use, which supports frequent, mobile-first engagement patterns. Source: Pew: Social Media Use in 2023.
  • Age-driven platform clustering: Younger adults concentrate more on Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, while older adults concentrate more on Facebook; YouTube remains high across all adult ages. Source: Pew: platform use by age.
  • Local information sharing tends to concentrate on Facebook: Nationally, Facebook remains the most-used broad social network after YouTube (68% vs. 83%), and in many U.S. counties it functions as the default venue for community announcements, local events, and marketplace activity. Source: Pew: Facebook reach.

Family & Associates Records

Rhea County family and associate-related public records include vital records (birth and death), marriage records, divorce case files, probate/estate records, and guardianship or conservatorship matters. In Tennessee, certified birth and death certificates are issued by the state rather than by counties; requests are handled through the Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Vital Records (Tennessee Vital Records). Adoption records are generally sealed and handled through state and court processes, with limited public access.

Marriage licenses are commonly issued and recorded at the county level through the Rhea County Clerk. Court-related family records (divorce filings, orders, name changes, and related civil matters) are maintained by the Rhea County Circuit Court Clerk and, where applicable, the Rhea County General Sessions Court. Land records that may reflect family transfers, liens, or estate activity are recorded by the Rhea County Register of Deeds.

Public database availability varies by office; many Tennessee court records and recorded instruments are accessed in person at the relevant clerk’s counter, with some offices offering limited online search or request instructions on their official pages.

Access and disclosure are governed by state law and court rules. Common restrictions include confidentiality for adoption matters, many juvenile records, and portions of vital records and sensitive personal identifiers.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

  • Marriage licenses and certificates
    • Marriage license application/license: Created at the time a couple applies to marry in Rhea County.
    • Marriage return/certificate: Completed by the officiant after the ceremony and returned for recording, documenting that the marriage occurred.
  • Divorce records
    • Divorce case file: Court pleadings and filings (e.g., complaint, answers, motions, orders).
    • Final decree/judgment of divorce: The final court order terminating the marriage and addressing legal issues decided by the court.
  • Annulments
    • Annulment case file and final order: Court records establishing that a marriage was void or voidable under law and is declared invalid by court order.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

  • Marriage records (county level)
    • Filed/recorded with: Rhea County Clerk (marriage licenses issued and marriage returns recorded as county vital records).
    • Access: Copies are typically available through the County Clerk’s office by requesting a certified or non-certified copy, subject to office procedures and identification requirements.
  • Divorce and annulment records (court level)
    • Filed with: Rhea County Circuit Court Clerk (divorce actions and many annulments are maintained as circuit court records; some family-law matters may also appear in other trial courts depending on jurisdiction and time period).
    • Access: Case files and decrees are generally accessed through the court clerk’s records services (in-person requests and/or written requests). Public access may be limited for portions of the file by statute, court rule, or court order.
  • State-level vital records (divorce certificates/indexes)
    • Maintained by: Tennessee Office of Vital Records (state vital statistics). Tennessee maintains statewide divorce data for many years as a vital record separate from the full court case file.
    • Access: State-issued divorce certificates (where available for the relevant years under Tennessee vital records practices) are requested through the state vital records system; they do not substitute for certified copies of full court decrees.
  • Historical and archival access
    • Older marriage and court records may be available on microfilm or through archival partners and genealogical repositories; availability varies by record series and date.

Typical information included in these records

  • Marriage licenses/returns
    • Full names of the parties
    • Date and place of marriage (or intended place), and date of license issuance
    • Officiant name and title, and officiant’s certification/return
    • Ages or dates of birth (varies by era and form), residences, and sometimes parents’ names
    • Witness information may appear on older forms depending on period and local practice
  • Divorce decrees and case files
    • Names of spouses and case number
    • Filing date, hearing dates, and final decree date
    • Ground(s) for divorce stated in pleadings and/or findings (as reflected in the record)
    • Orders regarding division of property and debts, spousal support/alimony, and restoration of name (when requested and granted)
    • When children are involved: custody/parenting arrangements, child support, and related findings/orders
  • Annulment records
    • Names of the parties, case number, and dates of filing and final order
    • Legal basis for annulment and the court’s determination that the marriage is void/voidable
    • Related orders addressing children, support, property, or name changes where applicable

Privacy or legal restrictions

  • Marriage records
    • Marriage licenses and recorded returns are generally treated as public records, though access to certain personal identifiers may be limited by law, redaction policies, or modern record formats.
  • Divorce and annulment court records
    • Court dockets and final decrees are generally public records unless sealed.
    • Portions of files may be restricted or redacted under Tennessee law and court rules, including protection of Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, minor children’s identifying information, and other sensitive data.
    • Records can be sealed by court order in limited circumstances; sealed materials are not available to the general public.
  • Certified copies and identity requirements
    • Certified copies are issued by the custodian office (County Clerk for marriage; Court Clerk for decrees; State Vital Records for state certificates) and may require identity verification and payment of statutory fees.
  • Vital records rules
    • Tennessee vital records statutes and administrative rules govern issuance of state-issued marriage and divorce certificates (where applicable), including permissible requesters, identification, and acceptable proof for certified copies.

Education, Employment and Housing

Rhea County is in southeast Tennessee along the Tennessee River (Watts Bar Lake) between Chattanooga and Knoxville, with its county seat in Dayton and its largest city in Spring City. The county is largely small-town and rural in settlement pattern, with employment tied to regional manufacturing, public-sector services, and commuting to nearby job centers. Population and household characteristics are commonly described in public datasets such as the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) for the Dayton and Spring City areas and the county as a whole.

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

Public K–12 education is primarily provided by Rhea County Schools, with additional public high school coverage through the statewide Tennessee Public Charter/LEA landscape not being a dominant feature locally. A current, authoritative list of Rhea County Schools campuses is maintained on the district website and related state directories; campus portfolios typically include multiple elementary schools, at least one middle school, and at least one county high school, plus the Spring City schools. For the most up-to-date roster of school names, use the district’s official directory via Rhea County Schools and the state’s school information pages via the Tennessee Department of Education.
Note: A single “number of public schools” figure changes with consolidations and grade reconfigurations; district directories are the most reliable source for current counts and campus names.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

  • Student–teacher ratio: Reported ratios vary by school and year. District- and school-level ratios are published in Tennessee’s annual report cards and school profiles (the state report-card system is the standard source for comparable ratios statewide): Tennessee report card and accountability resources.
  • Graduation rate: The 4-year cohort graduation rate is reported annually by the Tennessee Department of Education at the school and district level. Rhea County’s graduation rate should be taken from the most recent state report card year to ensure comparability to other Tennessee districts.

Data availability note: Because student–teacher ratios and graduation rates are published at the district/school level and updated annually, the most recent values should be cited directly from the Tennessee report card year in effect.

Adult education levels (countywide)

Countywide adult attainment is typically summarized by the ACS (population age 25+):

  • High school diploma or higher: ACS provides a county estimate for the share of adults with at least a high school credential.
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: ACS provides a county estimate for the share of adults with at least a bachelor’s degree.

The canonical source for these measures is the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates), accessible via data.census.gov (tables under “Educational Attainment”).

Notable programs (STEM, vocational training, AP)

  • Career and Technical Education (CTE)/vocational training: Tennessee districts commonly offer CTE pathways aligned to state programs of study (e.g., health science, manufacturing, information technology, agriculture, skilled trades). Program availability and pathway lists are generally maintained by the district and reflected in state CTE documentation: Tennessee CTE.
  • Advanced Placement (AP) and dual enrollment: AP offerings and dual enrollment opportunities are typically listed in the high school course catalog and are reflected in student opportunity reports at the state level. Tennessee’s higher education dual enrollment framework is summarized through Tennessee Higher Education Commission resources and local school counseling/course guides.
  • STEM initiatives: STEM course sequences (e.g., computer science, engineering concepts) are typically embedded within CTE and science/math course catalogs and may be supplemented by regional partnerships and extracurriculars.

Data availability note: A program inventory (specific AP courses, CTE pathways, industry certifications) is most accurately sourced from the current Rhea County high school course catalog and the district CTE pages.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Tennessee districts generally implement layered safety practices consistent with state guidance, typically including controlled entry procedures, visitor management, drills, coordination with local law enforcement/SRO models, and behavioral threat assessment protocols. Student supports commonly include school counselors, school psychologists/social workers (availability varies by campus), and referral pathways for behavioral health and crisis response. Statewide frameworks and minimum requirements are outlined through Tennessee education and school safety resources: Tennessee school safety.
Proxy statement: Specific staffing ratios for counselors and the exact set of building-level safety features are school-by-school and are most reliably confirmed through district safety plans and board policy documents.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

The standard source for county unemployment is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). Rhea County’s most recent annual unemployment rate is published through the BLS/LAUS county series, commonly accessed through the BLS LAUS program and mirrored by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Data availability note: The “most recent year” changes annually; the authoritative figure should be taken from the latest published annual average in LAUS.

Major industries and employment sectors

Based on typical county employment structures in southeast Tennessee and ACS sector reporting, major sectors generally include:

  • Manufacturing (often a leading private-sector employer in the region, including metals, machinery, automotive supply chain, and related production)
  • Health care and social assistance
  • Retail trade
  • Educational services and public administration (public schools, county/city services)
  • Construction
  • Transportation and warehousing (linked to regional logistics corridors)

Industry shares by sector are available in the ACS “Industry by Occupation” and “Employment by Industry” tables via data.census.gov.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational composition (ACS) in counties like Rhea commonly shows substantial shares in:

  • Production, transportation, and material moving
  • Office and administrative support
  • Sales and related
  • Service occupations (healthcare support, food service)
  • Construction and extraction
  • Management, business, science, and arts (typically a smaller share than metro counties)

Occupational distributions are reported in ACS “Occupation” tables on data.census.gov.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

ACS commuting metrics for Rhea County commonly reflect:

  • A high share of drive-alone commuting typical of rural and exurban areas
  • Limited transit usage relative to metros
  • Mean travel time to work published directly by ACS (minutes)

The definitive county mean commute time and mode split are reported in ACS commuting tables (e.g., “Means of Transportation to Work,” “Travel Time to Work”) on data.census.gov.

Local employment vs out-of-county work

Rhea County’s labor market is influenced by commuting to nearby employment centers, particularly toward the Chattanooga and Cleveland areas and other regional job nodes. A precise “live-work” split is best measured using:

  • ACS “Place of Work”/commuting flow tables (limited detail in standard ACS outputs)
  • LEHD/OnTheMap commuting flows (workplace-residence dynamics) via U.S. Census OnTheMap

Proxy statement: Regional commuting is a common pattern due to the county’s proximity to larger labor markets; OnTheMap provides the most direct quantitative split for in-county jobs held by residents versus out-of-county employment.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

Home tenure (owner-occupied vs renter-occupied) is published by ACS for Rhea County. Rural Tennessee counties typically have majority owner-occupancy, with renter shares concentrated near town centers and along major corridors. The definitive county percentages are available in ACS “Tenure” tables on data.census.gov.

Median property values and recent trends

  • Median value of owner-occupied housing units: Reported by ACS (5-year estimates) and is a standard county comparison metric.
  • Recent trends: County-level price trends are often inferred from a combination of ACS (multi-year medians), recorded sales, and regional market reports. For a neutral public proxy, ACS provides consistent median value series across releases; for transaction-based indices, coverage can be limited in non-metro counties.

Proxy statement: Like much of Tennessee, Rhea County experienced upward home values during the 2020–2022 period, with slower growth thereafter in many markets; the exact county trend should be verified using the latest ACS median values and local assessment/sales records.

Typical rent prices

  • Median gross rent: Published by ACS and used as the standard “typical rent” metric for counties.
    The definitive median gross rent is available in ACS rent tables at data.census.gov.

Types of housing

Rhea County’s housing stock is commonly characterized by:

  • Single-family detached homes as the dominant structure type
  • Manufactured homes representing a meaningful rural share
  • Smaller apartment clusters and rentals concentrated in Dayton, Spring City, and near major roads
  • Rural lots and lake-influenced residential development near Watts Bar Lake/Tennessee River areas

ACS “Units in Structure” tables provide countywide shares by structure type on data.census.gov.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities)

  • Dayton and Spring City: More walkable access to schools, local retail, civic services, and medical offices compared with unincorporated areas; higher rental presence and smaller lot sizes are more common.
  • Unincorporated/rural areas: Larger parcels, lower density, greater reliance on personal vehicles for access to schools and services; lake-area neighborhoods often mix primary residences and second-home patterns.

Data availability note: “Proximity to schools/amenities” is not a single standardized county statistic; it is generally described using municipal boundaries, land use patterns, and travel times.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

Property taxes in Tennessee are levied by county (and by municipalities within the county) using assessed values and local tax rates.

  • Assessment ratios (Tennessee standard): Residential property is assessed at 25% of appraised value for tax purposes (statewide rule). See the Tennessee Comptroller assessment ratio summary.
  • Tax rate and typical bill: The combined effective rate and typical homeowner tax cost vary by location (county vs city limits) and by annual certified rates. The most authoritative figures are the Rhea County Trustee/Assessor/County Commission certified tax rate publications and municipal tax rates where applicable. The Tennessee Comptroller provides local government finance and tax rate context via Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury.

Proxy statement: A “typical homeowner cost” requires the current certified tax rate(s) and a representative assessed value; because rates differ inside city limits and change by tax year, published county and city tax-rate schedules are the definitive reference rather than a fixed countywide average.*