Population growth (Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga: home, legal, moving to)

[JMT]

As some people here have stated that they don't want others moving to Tennessee, I thought it would be interesting to see just where the population growth is taking place. There are 95 counties in Tennessee, but I'm reporting only those areas that seem to be mentioned more often in this forum. I'm using figures taken from the US Census web site. I'm listing them according to the amount they've grown since the year 2000.

COUNTY; 2006 POPULATION; CHANGE FROM 2000 (% CHANGE)

Rutherford (Murfreesboro, Smyrna); 228,829; +46,806 (+25.7%)
Williamson (Franklin, Brentwood); 160,781; +34,143 (+27%)
Knox (Knoxville); 411,967; +29,935 (+7.8%)
Sumner (Hendersonville, Gallatin); 149,416; 18,967 (+14.5%)
Wilson (Mount Juliet, Lebanon); 104,035; 15,226 (+17.1%)
Shelby (Memphis); 911,438; 13,966 (+1.6%)
Blount (Maryville); 118,186; 12,363 (+11.7%)
Montgomery (Clarksville); 147,114; 12,346 (+9.2%)
Sevier (Sevierville, Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge); 81,382; 10,212 (+14.4%)
Maury (Columbia, Spring Hill); 78,309; 8,811 (+12.7%)
Davidson (Nashville); 578,698; 8,807 (+1.5%)
Washington (Johnson City); 114,316; 7,118 (+6.6%)
Putnam (Cookeville); 68,284; 5,969 (+9.6%)
Bradley (Cleveland); 93,538; 5,573 (+6.3%)
Cumberland (Crossville); 52,344; 5,542 (+11.8%)
Jefferson (Jefferson City, Dandridge); 49,372; 5,078 (+11.5%)
Hamilton (Chattanooga); 312,905; 5,009 (+1.6%)
Madison (Jackson); 95,894; 4,057 (+4.4%)
Hawkins (Rogersville); 56,850; 3,287 (+6.1%)
Greene (Greeneville); 65,945; 3,036 (+4.8%)
McMinn (Athens); 52,020; 3,005 (+6.1%)
Hamblen (Morristown); 61,026; 2,898 (+5%)
Carter (Elizabethton); 56,850; 2,415 (+4.3%)
Anderson (Oak Ridge, Clinton); 73,579; 2,249 (+3.2%)
Sullivan (Kingsport, Bristol); 153,239; 191 (+0.1%)
Van Buren (Hawk's Bluff!); 5,448; -60 (-1.1%)

TENNESSEE; 6,038,803; 349,520 (+6.1%)

[TnHilltopper]

.98% increase in population here (2000>2005)

[2mares]

JMT
Where do they get the data for 2006 to show growth from the 2000 census?

[bbkaren]

J, could you post a link? I'd like to look up my dual counties!

[mbmouse]

Great info JMT! Thanks for doing all that work for us. It kinda looks like it is not growing that fast as some counties claim to be, and that is good. If I am not mistaken murfessboro had some major annexes back in 2004 was it? That would explain their large percentage I would think. I have no problem with growth and progressiveness to some degree but I would hate to see huge jumps in population in any county as it's infrastructure needs time to accommodate or it becomes a mess.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by bbkaren

J, could you post a link? I'd like to look up my dual counties!

Originally Posted by 2mares

JMT
Where do they get the data for 2006 to show growth from the 2000 census?

As I said in my original post, I used figures from the US Census web site. Just go to Census Bureau Home Page and plug in the names of the cities or counties you're researching. It's pretty fun!

If you want to look at just Tennessee counties, here's the table:
Tennessee by County - GCT-T1. Population Estimates

Originally Posted by mbmouse

Great info JMT! Thanks for doing all that work for us. It kinda looks like it is not growing that fast as some counties claim to be, and that is good. If I am not mistaken murfessboro had some major annexes back in 2004 was it? That would explain their large percentage I would think. I have no problem with growth and progressiveness to some degree but I would hate to see huge jumps in population in any county as it's infrastructure needs time to accommodate or it becomes a mess.

The population figures I posted are for counties, not for cities, so Murfreesboro's annexations have nothing to do with Rutherford County's population growth. I definitely agree that huge and rapid increases in population aren't necessarily a good thing.

Some things I found interesting:

Half of Tennessee's population growth is in the Nashville area.

The rural Cumberland Plateau (Cookeville and Crossville) attracts more new residents than the urban Chattanooga/Cleveland area.

Washington County (Johnson City) is definitely the growth leader in the Tri Cities. Sullivan County (Kingsport and Bristol) would actually be losing population if it weren't for its natural increase (births over deaths).

All that Hawks Bluff development in Van Buren County has done nothing to stop the population decline there.

[2mares]

Correct me if im wrong, but from what I understood these numbers dont reflect new growth from people moving to TN.

The July 1, 2006 population estimates incorporate corrections from the Census 2000 Count Question
Resolution Program, geographic updates to legal governmental unit boundaries as of January 1, 2006,
and other administrative updates. These updates are reflected in the July 1, 2000 estimates base
figures shown in population estimates data products. For a list of updates processed through 2006,
please select a state from the menu below. For more information, see the about geographic change notes page.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by 2mares

Correct me if im wrong, but from what I understood these numbers dont reflect new growth from people moving to TN.

The figures reflect all the growth in the counties listed from 2000 to 2006. Included in that growth is the natural increase (births over deaths) plus/minus people moving to the area.

[2mares]

Thats not what I read. I didnt see where births were included. I may be wrong, but I understood that it was not a census, but corrections to the 2000 census as in the quote. Here is an example of geographic changes and boundry updates as listed on their web site.
StateArea Name (with parent county and code) FIPS CodesType of ChangeEffective DateDescription of ChangeDate Submitted47Bean Station city (Grainger - 057)03760New Entity11/04/1996Located in Bean Station CCD (90152).07/17/2001 47Carroll County 017County Boundary Change10/01/1996Carroll County (017), McKenzie CCD (92080) gained territory from Henry County (079), Henry CCD (91536).09/16/2004 47Cedar Hill city (Robertson - 147)11980Description Change01/01/1990Changed from town to city.05/05/2000 47Chattanooga city (Hamilton - 065, Marion - 115)14000Detached From County01/05/2004No longer located in Marion County (115), Whiteside CCD (93624).08/

[2mares]

Well that didnt post in table format, but you can look at it on their site.