Population 7,066,383 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Tennessee
Household size in Tennessee
| Period | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Tennessee run a little small, averaging 2.53 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size is little changed from 2006–10, while the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Tennessee
| Period | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.2 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Tennessee are younger than 39.9 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.3, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in northwestern Tennessee, the oldest in northeastern Tennessee.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Tennessee
| Period | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Tennessee (11.8%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Tennessee has a higher share of single-parent households than most states.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Tennessee
Renters in Tennessee
| Period | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Tennessee rent their homes (33.1%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 41.8% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in southwestern Tennessee; owners are most common in northeastern Tennessee. The renter share is up 2.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Tennessee
| Period | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Tennessee is close to the national rate: 10.1% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.4 points, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Tennessee
| Period | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Tennessee are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Tennessee
| Period | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $761 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $837 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $961 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,286 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$526 | +$606 |
Rent in Tennessee runs $1,286 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $526 a month since 2006–10, up 69%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 29.7% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Tennessee
Bachelor's degrees in Tennessee
| Period | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 25.3% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.4% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over three in ten adults 25 and older in Tennessee (31.4%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Tennessee
| Period | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Tennessee is close to the national rate: 89.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.6 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Tennessee
| Period | Tennessee | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Tennessee is close to the national rate: 4.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Tennessee compared with nearby states
| State | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 2.53 | 39.9 | 11.8% | 33.1% | 10.1% | 1986 | $1,286 | 31.4% | 89.9% | 4.8% |
| Kentucky | 2.51 | 39.9 | 11.9% | 31.7% | 10.6% | 1982 | $1,024 | 27.6% | 88.8% | 5.1% |
| Alabama | 2.56 | 40.2 | 12.2% | 29.8% | 13.5% | 1986 | $1,091 | 29.0% | 88.7% | 4.9% |
| Georgia | 2.73 | 38.6 | 13.4% | 34.3% | 10.3% | 1991 | $1,520 | 35.1% | 89.2% | 5.2% |
| Mississippi | 2.57 | 39.4 | 14.6% | 30.0% | 14.1% | 1987 | $1,018 | 25.8% | 87.3% | 5.8% |
| Indiana | 2.54 | 39.3 | 11.7% | 29.4% | 9.3% | 1977 | $1,146 | 30.0% | 89.9% | 4.3% |
| South Carolina | 2.50 | 41.2 | 11.7% | 28.1% | 11.8% | 1991 | $1,294 | 32.6% | 90.2% | 4.9% |
| West Virginia | 2.43 | 43.2 | 10.4% | 25.1% | 14.9% | 1976 | $905 | 25.0% | 89.4% | 5.5% |
| North Carolina | 2.52 | 40.3 | 11.4% | 33.4% | 11.4% | 1990 | $1,317 | 36.2% | 90.2% | 4.8% |
| Arkansas | 2.53 | 39.6 | 12.3% | 33.6% | 13.1% | 1988 | $1,007 | 26.2% | 88.7% | 5.1% |
| Illinois | 2.58 | 40.2 | 11.3% | 32.9% | 8.1% | 1970 | $1,428 | 37.7% | 90.3% | 6.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
States with similar populations: Pennsylvania · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Tennessee. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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