Tennessee counties ranked by population (Knoxville, Jackson: buy, place to live, centers)

[JMT]

A couple of people asked for this, so here we go. Using 2008 Census estimates, here's how Tennessee counties rank by population:

1. Shelby County ... 906,825
2. Davidson County ... 626,144
3. Knox County ... 430,019
4. Hamilton County ... 332,848
5. Rutherford County ... 249,270
6. Williamson County ... 171,452
7. Sumner County ... 155,474
8. Montgomery County ... 154,756
9. Sullivan County ... 153,900
10. Blount County ... 121,511
11. Washington County ... 118,639
12. Wilson County ... 109,803
13. Bradley County ... 96,472
14. Madison County ... 96,376
15. Sevier County ... 84,835
16. Maury County ... 81,938
17. Anderson County ... 74,169
18. Putnam County ... 71,160
19. Greene County ... 66,157
20. Robertson County ... 64,898
21. Hamblen County ... 62,132
22. Carter County ... 59,492
23. Tipton County ... 58,706
24. Hawkins County ... 57,477
25. Cumberland County ... 53,590
26. Roane County ... 53,430
27. McMinn County ... 52,511
28. Coffee County ... 52,134
29. Jefferson County ... 51,074
30. Gibson County ... 49,257
31. Dickson County ... 47,884
32. Loudon County ... 46,445
33. Monroe County ... 45,648
34. Bedford County ... 44,696
35. Franklin County ... 41,165
36. Lawrence County ... 40,954
37. Campbell County ... 40,936
38. Warren County ... 39,842
39. Cheatham County ... 39,396
40. Fayette County ... 38,173
41. Dyer County ... 37,600
42. Cocke County ... 35,688
43. Weakley County ... 33,375
44. Lincoln County ... 33,116
45. Henry County ... 31,770
46. Claiborne County ... 31,461
47. Obion County ... 31,375
48. Rhea County ... 30,781
49. Marshall County ... 29,731
50. Giles County ... 29,184
51. Carroll County ... 28,719
52. Marion County ... 28,247
53. Hardeman County ... 27,848
54. Henderson County ... 26,916
55. Lauderdale County ... 26,692
56. Hardin County ... 26,227
57. McNairy County ... 25,724
58. White County ... 25,129
59. Hickman County ... 23,841
60. Grainger County ... 22,708
61. Scott County ... 22,039
62. Macon County ... 21,838
63. Overton County ... 20,975
64. Morgan County ... 20,404
65. Smith County ... 19,107
66. Haywood County ... 19,024
67. Union County ... 19,008
68. DeKalb County ... 18,694
69. Humphreys County ... 18,149
70. Johnson County ... 18,112
71. Unicoi County ... 17,718
72. Fentress County ... 17,667
73. Wayne County ... 16,614
74. Chester County ... 16,309
75. Benton County ... 16,193
76. Polk County ... 15,671
77. rundy County ... 14,220
78. Crockett County ... 14,186
79. Cannon County ... 13,804
80. Sequatchie County ... 13,580
81. Stewart County ... 13,226
82. Bledsoe County ... 13,142
83. Meigs County ... 11,790
84. Lewis County ... 11,564
85. Decatur County ... 11,288
86. Jackson County ... 10,847
87. Houston County ... 8,137
88. Trousdale County ... 7,822
89. Clay County ... 7,794
90. Perry County ... 7,753
91. Lake County ... 7,323
92. Hancock County ... 6,693
93. Moore County ... 6,195
94. Van Buren County ... 5,481
95. Pickett County ... 4,801

[JoeCartpath]

We're still #1

Combining this data with your other thread on the population gain/loss figures - if the current rate of change continues....

Davidson County's population will exceed Shelby County's population sometime in 2086...

Tipton County will pass Shelby during the year 2261...

Not enough data to make a prediction on Pickett County....

[JMT]

Originally Posted by JoeCartpath

We're still #1

Combining this data with your other thread on the population gain/loss figures - if the current rate of change continues....

Davidson County's population will exceed Shelby County's population sometime in 2086...

Tipton County will pass Shelby during the year 2261...

Not enough data to make a prediction on Pickett County....

haha yeah I think Shelby County's status as Tennessee's most populous county is pretty secure for a long time, at least until well after I'm dead and gone.

[jabogitlu]

^ LOL!

Interesting that traditional population centers (Washington, Sullivan, Montgomery, Anderson et. al.) are getting surpassed by Nashville Metro counties.

[mbmouse]

JMT, you are Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to compile this, lots of folks will benefit from it when they are looking at areas. It will help them sort out areas based on wanting to be in very populated or less populated areas.
Good job!

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

JMT, you are Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to compile this, lots of folks will benefit from it when they are looking at areas. It will help them sort out areas based on wanting to be in very populated or less populated areas.
Good job!

I totally agree ^^. I have to spread it around before I rep you again. But I will get there.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

JMT, you are Awesome! Thanks for taking the time to compile this, lots of folks will benefit from it when they are looking at areas. It will help them sort out areas based on wanting to be in very populated or less populated areas.
Good job!

Thanks! I really had fun looking at this and compiling this. It's actually pretty easy thanks to Microsoft Word's Table and Sorting options.

And I agree with jabo, it's interesting to see how Nashville's ring counties are booming in population and overtaking the rest of the state. Way back when Tennessee's license plates had numbers on them to reflect the counties' population rank, I think Wilson County was #25. Now it's up to #25. Williamson County has also gone from being in the 20s to now being the 6th most populous county in the state. Not too shabby.

I know Putnam County used to be #23, now it's #18. Warren County, on the other hand, used to be #34 and is now #38. White County has gone from being #59 to #58. Overton County hasn't changed.

In East Tennessee, Blount County has moved up quite a bit, I believe. And Cumberland County has gone from being #40 to #25.

[mbmouse]

I just hope all the city/county planners and managers keep an eye on stats like this and plan properly. The most impressive thing I have seen in a lot of TN cities and towns is smart growth and addressing infrastructure issues before they become big problems (well, minus the bottle neck on 40 through Knoxville, but glad to see it being fixed now!)
this is important to keep on top of. These numbers do seem impressive in growth but it is still no boom of the 80's in S FL, which I pray we NEVER see that fast of a growth anywhere in any other state again, but especially here in TN but that is because I am biased and love the state LOL!.

(JMT, I have to spread the love too! )

[JMT]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

I just hope all the city/county planners and managers keep an eye on stats like this and plan properly. The most impressive thing I have seen in a lot of TN cities and towns is smart growth and addressing infrastructure issues before they become big problems (well, minus the bottle neck on 40 through Knoxville, but glad to see it being fixed now!)
this is important to keep on top of. These numbers do seem impressive in growth but it is still no boom of the 80's in S FL, which I pray we NEVER see that fast of a growth anywhere in any other state again, but especially here in TN but that is because I am biased and love the state LOL!.

Amen! I sure hope Tennessee learns from the crazy go-go-growth that Florida encouraged and is now suffering from. Growth is inevitable and can be healthy as long as it's planned well and doesn't get out of hand.

[leonard]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

These numbers do seem impressive in growth but it is still no boom of the 80's in S FL, which I pray we NEVER see that fast of a growth anywhere in any other state again, but especially here in TN but that is because I am biased and love the state LOL!.

Probably won't happen.

A lot of that was driven by snow birds from the North seeking warmth. TN is beautiful and probably a much better place to live, but it does not have the reputation nor amenities that appeal to those retiring and wanting to be warm.

TN will grow, buy at least 2 more this year, but not at the rate FL did then.