According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. Campbell County is situated amidst a geological border region between the Cumberland Plateau in the northwest and the Appalachian Ridge-and-Valley Range in the southeast. This border area is characterized by several large, elongate ridges, namely Cross Mountain in the west and Cumberland Mountain, Walnut Mountain, and Pine Mountain to the north. Ivydale, situated in the Plateau region, is the exact geographical center of Campbell County. Elevations vary widely across the county, ranging from at Cross Mountain to slightly less than a few miles away at Norris Lake. Norris Lake— an artificial reservoir created by the Tennessee Valley Authority in the 1930s— is the main body of water in the region. It is fed by the Clinch and Powell rivers as well as several large creeks, most notably Davis Creek, Big Creek, and Cove Creek. Cove Creek also feeds the much smaller Cove Lake— a recreational lake built by TVA in the 1930s as part of the Norris project— which is located near Caryville. Most of the county's residents live in the southern half of the county, where La Follette, Jacksboro, and Caryville are located. Jellico, located along the Tennessee-Kentucky border, is the most notable populated area in the county's plateau section. Portions of the county north of Walnut Mountain are part of the Cumberland River watershed. Portions of the county south of Walnut Mountain are part of the Tennessee River watershed. In the northwestern part of the county a large valley, known as Elk Valley, runs from southwest to northeast, from Pioneer to Jellico.
As of the census of 2000, there were 39,854 people, 16,125 households, and 11,577 families residing in the county. The population density was 83 people per square mile. There were 18,527 housing units at an average density of 39 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was 98.13% White, 0.30% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. 0.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 16,125 households out of which 29.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.30% were married couples living together, 12.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 25.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.91. In the county, the population was spread out with 22.90% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $25,285, and the median income for a family was $30,197. Males had a median income of $26,762 versus $19,138 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,301. About 18.40% of families and 22.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.00% of those under age 18 and 17.70% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Coal mining
The Cumberland Plateau section of Campbell County is part of the massive Appalachian coalfield that dominates much of Central Appalachia, and thus the Jellico section of the county has more in common economically with southeastern Kentucky and West Virginia, whereas the southern parts of the county economically resemble East Tennessee. The coal seams near Jellico produced a slow-burning bituminous coal that helped make Campbell County Tennessee's largest coal-producing county in the early 20th century.
Tourism
Campbell County is home to Norris Lake and the Royal Blue Trails Complex. Much of Norris Lake is along its southern boundary as well as several wildlife management areas like the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area, which includes the Royal Blue Trails. Campbell County boasts eleven marinas on Norris Lake drawing tens of thousands of visitors annually. The County is home to Lonus Young County Park on Norris Lake and four state parks; Cove Lake State Park near Caryville, Indian Mountain State Park near Jellico, Norris Dam State Park near Rocky Top and The Cumberland Trail State Park coursing the mountain tops overlooking LaFollette, Jacksboro and Caryville from Speedwell in the east to the southern reaches of the county near one of the last railroad water tanks near the Shea Community. Over a million visitors frequent the Tennessee Welcome Center along I-75 at Jellico each year.
Like most of East Tennessee, Campbell County has historically been a Republican stronghold. Since the founding of the Republican Party, only three Democratic Presidents, all southerners, have carried the county. Campbell County was one of only two counties in East Tennessee won by Democrat and native Tennessean Al Gore in 2000, the other being Marion.
