Knoxville Senior AdvisorUnion County, with about 21,450 residents, is the smallest and most rural county in the region, centered on Maynardville and the shores of Norris Lake.
It has no licensed ACLF and no hospital on the state's report; Willow Ridge Center in Maynardville is its nursing home. Families usually look at Halls, Powell or Clinton for assisted living, about 20 to 30 minutes away.
How many older adults and licensed care options are in Union County, Tennessee?
Union County had about 4,315 residents aged 65 and older (20.1% of 21,450) and 304 aged 85 and older on July 1, 2025, with a median age of 42.8; the state licenses 0 ACLFs, 0 homes for the aged and 1 nursing home there.
| License type | Licenses | Licensed beds |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted-care living facilities | 0 | 0 |
| ACLF secured (memory care) beds | — | 0 |
| Homes for the aged | 0 | 0 |
| Nursing homes | 1 | 77 |
| Home health agencies (office here) | 0 | — |
| Hospices (office here) | 0 | — |
Population: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 county population estimates by age (July 1, 2025).
Which towns in Union County have licensed residential care?
Licensed ACLFs, homes for the aged and nursing homes in Union County are in Maynardville (1); the county seat is Maynardville.
| Town | ACLFs | Homes for the aged | Nursing homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maynardville | 0 | 0 | 1 |
How do Union County nursing homes compare on CMS measures?
Across Union County's 1 licensed nursing home, CMS staffing data shows Willow Ridge Center at 3.24 nurse hours per resident day, against a seven-county median of 3.49.
| Facility | City | CMS overall rating | Licensed beds | Latest CMS health inspection | Health deficiencies (latest cycle) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Willow Ridge Center 215 Richardson Way, 37807 | Maynardville | 3 of 5 | 77 | July 15, 2026 | 3 |
Where is the nearest assisted living to Union County?
Union County has no licensed assisted-care living facility; measured from Maynardville, the closest is Emory Mills Senior Living in Knoxville, about 11 miles by straight line.
| Facility | City | Miles (straight line) | Licensed beds | Secured / Alzheimer's beds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emory Mills Senior Living 1503 East Emory Road, 37938 | Knoxville | 11.2 | 111 | 65 |
| Wellington Manor Knoxville 7521 Andersonville Pike, 37938 | Knoxville | 11.2 | 65 | 0 |
| The Pointe at Lifespring 4371 Lifespring Lane, 37918 | Knoxville | 14.9 | 94 | 46 |
| Oakwood Senior Living 232 East Churchwell Avenue, 37917 | Knoxville | 18.5 | 74 | 24 |
Which hospitals serve Union County?
No licensed hospital is located in Union County on the state's report, so residents travel to neighboring counties.
Short-term rehab after a hospital stay usually happens in a nursing home certified for Medicare; see each home's page for its certification and CMS record.
Who provides free help for older adults in Union County?
Union County residents call ETHRA's AAAD at 1-866-836-6678, which also funds limited transportation and home-delivered meals in rural areas.
The East Tennessee District Long-Term Care Ombudsman at ETHRA (865-691-2551 ext. 4223) covers this county too, and TN SHIP (1-877-801-0044) gives free Medicare counseling.
