Tennessee Demographics

A map of Tennessee's Population by Race

Race	2024 Pop	2020 Pop	2024 %	2020 %
White	5,018,980	4,900,246	71.0%	70.9%
Black	1,090,494	1,083,772	15.4%	15.7%
Hispanic	523,528	479,187	7.4%	6.9%
Multiracial	261,143	270,223	3.7%	3.9%
Asian	133,337	134,302	1.9%	1.9%
Native American/Other	38,901	43,110	0.6%	0.6%

Tennessee has an estimated population of 7,066,383, a slight increase from the 6,910,840 recorded in the 2020 Census. The population is 71.0% White, 15.4% Black, 7.4% Hispanic, 3.7% Multiracial, 1.9% Asian, and 0.6% Native American/Other. This demographic dot map shows the population of Tennessee, with one dot drawn for each person counted by the Census, color-coded by race.

Tennessee is about as racially diverse as it was in the 2020 Census. Demographers use a diversity index to measure the probability that two randomly selected individuals belong to different racial or ethnic groups. In Tennessee, that probability was 46.6% in 2020 and 46.5% in the most recent ACS estimates.

Tennessee is ranked the 15th most populous state in the United States, out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Tennessee was ranked the 16th most populous state in the 2020 Census.

Tennessee's White Population

5,018,980 residents of Tennessee, or 71.0% of the population, identify as White. Ranked among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Tennessee is 23rd in terms of White residents as a share of the population.

Since the 2020 Census, Tennessee's White population has grown by an estimated 2.4%. White residents' share of Tennessee's population has remained roughly unchanged at 71.0%.

Tennessee is more White than neighboring Alabama (63.4% White), Georgia (49.1% White), and Mississippi (55.2% White). Tennessee is less White than neighboring Kentucky (81.5% White), and Indiana (75.4% White),

Tennessee's Black Population

1,090,494 residents of Tennessee, or 15.4% of the population, identify as Black. Ranked among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Tennessee is 11th in terms of Black residents as a share of the population.

Since the 2020 Census, Tennessee's Black population has remained roughly the same. Black residents' share of Tennessee's population has remained roughly unchanged at 15.4%.

Tennessee is more Black than neighboring Kentucky (7.6% Black), and Indiana (9.1% Black). Tennessee is less Black than neighboring Alabama (25.6% Black), Georgia (30.7% Black). and Mississippi (36.3% Black).

Tennessee's Asian Population

133,337 residents of Tennessee, or 1.9% of the population, identify as Asian. Ranked among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Tennessee is 36th in terms of Asian residents as a share of the population.

Since the 2020 Census, Tennessee's Asian population has remained roughly the same. Asian residents' share of Tennessee's population has remained roughly unchanged at 1.9%.

Tennessee is more Asian than neighboring Kentucky (1.6% Asian), Alabama (1.4% Asian), and Mississippi (1% Asian). Tennessee is less Asian than neighboring Indiana (2.6% Asian), and Georgia (4.5% Asian),

Tennessee's Hispanic Population

523,528 residents of Tennessee, or 7.4% of the population, identify as Hispanic. Ranked among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Tennessee is 33rd in terms of Hispanic residents as a share of the population.

Since the 2020 Census, Tennessee's Hispanic population has grown by an estimated 9.3%. Hispanic residents' share of Tennessee's population has increased from 6.9% to 7.4%.

Tennessee is more Hispanic than neighboring Kentucky (5% Hispanic), Alabama (5.6% Hispanic), and Mississippi (3.7% Hispanic). Tennessee is less Hispanic than neighboring Indiana (8.6% Hispanic), and Georgia (11% Hispanic),

Tennessee's Native American/Other Population

38,901 residents of Tennessee, or 0.6% of the population, identify as American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/Other. Ranked among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Tennessee is 45th in terms of Native American/Other residents as a share of the population.

Since the 2020 Census, Tennessee's Native American/Other population has declined by an estimated 9.8%. Native American/Other residents' share of Tennessee's population has remained roughly unchanged at 0.6%.

Tennessee is more Native American/Other than neighboring Kentucky (0.4% Native American/Other), and Indiana (0.5% Native American/Other). Tennessee is less Native American/Other than neighboring Alabama (0.7% Native American/Other), Georgia (0.7% Native American/Other). and Mississippi (0.8% Native American/Other).

Tennessee's Multiracial Population

261,143 residents of Tennessee, or 3.7% of the population, identify as Multiracial. Ranked among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Tennessee is 29th in terms of Multiracial residents as a share of the population.

Since the 2020 Census, Tennessee's Multiracial population has declined by an estimated 3.4%. Multiracial residents' share of Tennessee's population has remained roughly unchanged at 3.7%.

Tennessee is more Multiracial than neighboring Alabama (3.3% Multiracial), and Mississippi (3% Multiracial). Tennessee is less Multiracial than neighboring Kentucky (3.9% Multiracial), Indiana (3.8% Multiracial). and Georgia (3.9% Multiracial).

Sources: Most recent population estimates are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. 2020 population counts and map data are from 2020 Census State Redistricting Data. Geographic data are from Census TIGER/Line Shapefiles.