McMinn County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is located in East Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,794. The county has a total area of 432 square miles (1,120 km2). Most of the county is within the Ridge and Valley area of the Appalachian Mountains. Its county seat is Athens. McMinn County, along with Meigs County comprises the Athens, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area.
McMinn County Courthouse in Athens
U.S. Route 411 near Etowah
Athens is the county seat of McMinn County, Tennessee, United States and the principal city of the Athens Micropolitan Statistical Area has a population of 53,569. The city is located almost equidistantly between the major cities of Knoxville and Chattanooga. The population was 14,084 at the 2020 census. The population of the zipcode area is at 23,726
McMinn County Courthouse in Athens
The Samuel Cleage House outside of Athens, set on the site of McElhaney and Sons Nursery, built in the 1820s
THC marker at the "Battle of Athens" site
Tennessee Wesleyan University, organized in 1857