Tennessee
TN · Data from 2022–2023 government sources
Tennessee, the Volunteer State, is where America's music was born. From the blues of Memphis's Beale Street to the country music of Nashville's Grand Ole Opry to the rock and roll that Elvis Presley pioneered at Sun Studio, Tennessee's musical heritage is unmatched. The state also offers stunning natural beauty in the Great Smoky Mountains, a rich Civil War history, and a booming economy centered in Nashville.
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Tennessee was home to the Cherokee and other Native American peoples before European settlement. It became the 16th state on June 1, 1796. Tennessee earned the nickname 'Volunteer State' from the large number of volunteers who served under Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812. The state was deeply divided during the Civil War — East Tennessee was strongly Unionist while Middle and West Tennessee generally supported the Confederacy. Major battles at Shiloh, Stones River, and Nashville shaped the war's course.
Economy
Tennessee's economy has experienced remarkable growth, driven by healthcare (Nashville is the Healthcare Capital of America, with HCA Healthcare and other major firms), music and entertainment, automotive manufacturing (Nissan and GM plants), and tourism. Nashville is one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. The state has no personal income tax on wages. Memphis is a major logistics hub — FedEx is headquartered there, and the Memphis airport handles more cargo than any other airport in North America.
Geography & Landmarks
Tennessee covers 42,144 square miles, stretching 440 miles from the Great Smoky Mountains in the east to the Mississippi River in the west. The state is divided into three grand divisions — East (mountains), Middle (rolling hills and the Nashville Basin), and West (flat Mississippi River plain). Great Smoky Mountains National Park, straddling the Tennessee-North Carolina border, is the most visited national park in the United States. The park draws over 12 million visitors annually, making it the most visited national park by a wide margin. The Cumberland Plateau features dramatic gorges including Fall Creek Falls, the highest waterfall in the eastern United States at 256 feet.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Kristina Plaas
Source: NPS API
Culture & Traditions
Tennessee is arguably the most musically significant state in America. Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, broadcasting since 1925, is the longest-running live radio show in the world and the mothership of country music, while Memphis gave birth to rock and roll at Sun Studio, where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins recorded in the 1950s. Beale Street in Memphis remains the home of the blues, and the city's Stax Museum preserves the soul music legacy of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Tennessee's culinary landscape features Nashville hot chicken (created at Prince's Hot Chicken Shack in the 1930s), Memphis dry-rub and wet-sauce barbecue ribs, and the MoonPie (invented in Chattanooga in 1917). The state's whiskey heritage includes Jack Daniel's in Lynchburg (the oldest registered distillery in America) and the growing Tennessee Whiskey Trail along the state's distilleries.
Notable Cities
Nashville
CapitalThe state capital and Music City USA. Home to the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, a booming food scene, and one of the fastest-growing economies in America.
684,103
Population
$71,328
Median income
$351,400
Home value
$1,392
Median rent
34.6
Median age
4.6%
Unemployment
53.8%
Homeownership
134,405
Bachelor's+
Memphis
Home of the blues, Beale Street, Sun Studio (where Elvis, Johnny Cash, and others recorded), Graceland, and world-famous barbecue. Also the FedEx global hub.
Knoxville
Gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains and home to the University of Tennessee. The 1982 World's Fair was held here.
Chattanooga
A revitalized city on the Tennessee River known for the Tennessee Aquarium, the Walnut Street Pedestrian Bridge, and some of the fastest internet speeds in the nation.
Gatlinburg
A mountain resort town at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, drawing millions of visitors annually for hiking, crafts, and Appalachian culture.
Capital city data: Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022)
Intel File · Fun Facts
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States, with over 12 million visitors annually — more than double the Grand Canyon.
Nashville's full-scale replica of the Parthenon is the only one in the world and houses a 42-foot statue of Athena.
Elvis Presley's Graceland in Memphis is the second most-visited private home in America (after the White House).
Jack Daniel's is distilled in Lynchburg, Tennessee, which is ironically in a dry county where you cannot buy alcohol.
Bristol, on the Tennessee-Virginia border, is recognized by Congress as the Birthplace of Country Music.
Data & Statistics
Demographics
- Population
- 6,923,772
- Median income
- $64,035
- Median age
- 38.9
- Median home value
- $232,100
- Below poverty line
- 943,583
- Bachelor's degree+
- 889,401
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2022)
Agriculture
- Total farms
- 63,105
- Cropland
- 5,273,992 acres
- Market value
- $5,161M
Source: USDA NASS, Census of Agriculture (2022)
Public Health
- Obesity rate
- 37.6%
- Diabetes rate
- 14.5%
- Smoking rate
- 17.0%
- High blood pressure
- 40.7%
- Uninsured
- 9.2%
Source: CDC BRFSS Prevalence Data (2023, 2022 fallback)
National Parks & Sites
- National parks
- 1
- Total NPS sites
- 15
- Sites
- Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail, Natchez Trace Parkway, Obed Wild & Scenic River, Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, Shiloh National Military Park, Stones River National Battlefield, Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail
Source: National Park Service API
Climate
- Avg temperature
- 58.0°F
- Avg high
- 69.6°F
- Avg low
- 46.6°F
- Annual precipitation
- 53.9 in
- Annual snowfall
- 4.0 in
Source: NOAA Climate Normals (2010)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the capital of Tennessee?▾
Nashville is the capital of Tennessee and the state's largest city. Known as Music City, it has been the state capital since 1826.
Why is Nashville called Music City?▾
Nashville earned the name Music City in 1950 when a radio announcer called it that during a Grand Ole Opry broadcast. The city's music industry — centered on Music Row — generates billions of dollars and includes major record labels, publishing houses, and over 180 live music venues.
What is the Grand Ole Opry?▾
The Grand Ole Opry is the longest-running radio broadcast in U.S. history, airing live country music performances since 1925. It is held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville and is considered the most significant stage in country music.
What makes Memphis barbecue special?▾
Memphis barbecue is centered on slow-smoked pork — particularly ribs (wet with sauce or dry with a spice rub) and pulled pork sandwiches. Famous spots include Central BBQ, The Bar-B-Q Shop, and Payne's. Memphis hosts the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, the largest pork barbecue contest in the world.
Data sources
U.S. Census Bureau · USDA NASS · CDC BRFSS · National Park Service · NOAA CDO
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau. This product uses the NASS API but is not endorsed or certified by NASS.
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