New metro area definitions and populations (Memphis, Knoxville: apartment complex, home, employment)

[JMT]

The definitions of metropolitan and micropolitan areas have been updated. Some have had counties added, others have had counties removed. Two new micropolitan areas have been created (Winchester and Fayetteville) while two other micropolitan areas were removed (Dayton and Brownsville).

Here are the latest population figures for Tennessee's metropolitan and micropolitan areas.

metropolitan areas

1. Nashville...2,072,283
2. Memphis...1,339,855
3. Knoxville...932,245
4. Chattanooga...574,507
5. Clarksville...336,605
6. Kingsport-Bristol...311,272
7. Johnson City...210,256
8. Jackson...181,579
9. Cleveland...128,479
10. Morristown...121,895

micropolitan areas

1. Cookeville...145,478
2. Sevierville...98,789
3. Greeneville...71,405
4. Tullahoma-Manchester...66,470
5. Crossville...63,522
6. Shelbyville...51,950
7. Lawrenceburg...45,415
8. Winchester...43,942
9. McMinnville...42,026
10. Dyersburg...36,410
11. Fayetteville...36,004
12. Lewisburg...35,878
13. Martin...33,063
14. Paris...32,379
15. Union City...30,394

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-conten...etin-23-01.pdf

[jjbradleynyc]

Pretty strong growth, on the whole, for most of the metros (couple of exceptions).

Wondering how long it will take before the Knoxville metro surpasses the Memphis metro? The Knoxville metro area has started to grow very briskly over the course of the last few years.

If it keeps up this fast pace, I'd say by the 2040 census - or sooner - Knoxville's metro could be larger, population-wise.

Will be interesting to watch.

[creeksitter]

How have the counties changed for Knoxville and Chattanooga? Somehow I got the idea that Chattanooga's MSA would grow larger in area and thus would be closer to Knoxville's population. Instead it seems like the gap has widened.

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by creeksitter

How have the counties changed for Knoxville and Chattanooga? Somehow I got the idea that Chattanooga's MSA would grow larger in area and thus would be closer to Knoxville's population. Instead it seems like the gap has widened.

Yeah, I agree, I've always thought Chattanooga's metro area seemed so small compared to Knoxville. But then you look at the fact that Cleveland, just up the road from Chattanooga about 30 some odd miles, is not included in the metro area numbers for Chattanooga.

If Cleveland were also included, that would add another 128k to metro Chattanooga, making its population just over 700,000, which is getting up there more in line with what I'd expect it to be.

[LauraC]

Ugh! Too many people. Town didn't grow or shrink for about 12 years and now we've added a few thousand people. The wildlife habitat keeps disappearing. Plus, because people keep claiming they're working at home when they are in the stores and the parks during the time they would normally be at work, there is traffic all day long. There isn't even an advantage to voting early during normal working hours if you're retired. I pull into my suburban apartment complex at 2:00 in the afternoon and I'm lucky if there is one empty parking space in front of my building. Today I saw men at one of our busiest town intersections walking up to cars looking for money. I have never seen that in this town before.

[N.Cal]

Originally Posted by LauraC

Plus, because people keep claiming they're working at home when they are in the stores and the parks during the time they would normally be at work, there is traffic all day long. There isn't even an advantage to voting early during normal working hours if you're retired.

Whaa whaa whaa. Life does not revolve around you.

As someone who works some days from home and some days in the office, I have a flexible schedule and can start working whenever I want/need to in either place. Depending what I have going on, some days I will be up and working at 7 AM and then take a two hour break mid-morning, come back work another few hours, take another hour or two break, and then come back and finish up my work. And I know lots of people with very similar schedules. There is no “normally be at work” time frame anymore.

[shinestx]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

Yeah, I agree, I've always thought Chattanooga's metro area seemed so small compared to Knoxville. But then you look at the fact that Cleveland, just up the road from Chattanooga about 30 some odd miles, is not included in the metro area numbers for Chattanooga.

If Cleveland were also included, that would add another 128k to metro Chattanooga, making its population just over 700,000, which is getting up there more in line with what I'd expect it to be.

Don't overlook the fact that Whitfield (GA) is also not included in the MSA. And I see license plates from Whitfield by the hundreds each day. That's another 110k. We are a hub for approximately 1 million people.

[crltn19]

Originally Posted by shinestx

Don't overlook the fact that Whitfield (GA) is also not included in the MSA. And I see license plates from Whitfield by the hundreds each day. That's another 110k. We are a hub for approximately 1 million people.

Keep in mind that the OMB definitions of MSAs and μSAs have very strict (and somewhat quirky) rule of commute statistics. It's not always about proximity. That's why you see some new μSAs split off from their former MSAs, besides population change factors. As an example, Sevier County in itself has been part of the Sevierville μSA for the past few decades. However in virtually every aspect, it's a core part of the greater Knoxville region. It shares the same area code and a pretty long border with Knox County, and economically and culturally it's certainly part of the Big Orange country. In fact, it's considered (unofficially) to be part of the Knoxville MSA by pretty much everyone except OMB because of that commute metric is not met. Just think the thousands of tourist-oriented businesses and people employed there - most of whom live and work there even though they may still travel to Knoxville for shopping, dining, and other social events. I can think some of the counties around Chattanooga would be similar (such as Bradley County and maybe some of the nearby Georgia counties). It's always worth noting that our NC neighbor - Asheville MSA has actually been shrinking, not because of the population decline, but every decade OMB redefined MSA/μSA boundaries, a county split off into its own μSA, which can somewhat the fact that the tourism-centric economy of the Asheville area is kind of saturated and not really absorbing the adjacent counties as much anymore. That said, it would be good to see how the newly formed Waynesville μSA (Haywood County) will evolve now that its former largest employer, the paper mill in Canton, recently shut down and people have had to look for work elsewhere, possible in neighboring Buncombe County where Asheville is based.

[creeksitter]

Plenty of employment in Sevier county, though I still consider Seymour a suburb of Knoxville. Didn't they used to count newspaper subscriptions? Sevier county has its own paper.

What's interesting is that almost all of the skilled trades you see on the PF parkway are Knoxville companies. HVAC, electric, suppliers, etc. Only exception is Blalock.

[JMT]

The 2023 population estimates are out. Here they are:

metropolitan areas...2023 population...1-year change

1. Nashville...2,102,573...31,554*
2. Memphis...1,335,674...-2,993
3. Knoxville...946,264...13,343
4. Chattanooga...580,971...6,510
5. Clarksville...340,495...4,968
6. Kingsport-Bristol...313,025...1,985
7. Johnson City...213,198...2,975
8. Jackson...181,826...408
9. Cleveland...129,612...1,295
10. Morristown...124,054...2,227

micropolitan areas...2023 population...1-year change

1. Cookeville...148,226...2,748**
2. Sevierville...99,415...609
3. Greeneville...72,577...1,285
4. Tullahoma-Manchester...67,381...886
5. Crossville...64,760...1,278
6. Shelbyville...53,055...1,091
7. Lawrenceburg...46,114...612
8. Winchester...44,654...535
9. McMinnville...42,638...637
10. Newport...37,404...555
11. Lewisburg...36,961...1,104
12. Dyersburg...36,498...58
13. Fayetteville...36,169...163
14. Martin...33,084...41
15. Paris...32,554...172
16. Union City...30,411...37

*Nashville was the 13th highest-gaining metropolitan area in the country.
**Cookeville was the 4th highest-gaining micropolitan area in the country.