Discover the 3 Largest Cities in Tennessee

Tennessee is a hilly and forested state east of the Appalachian Mountains. She is also the 36th largest state in the United States. It’s not the largest state in the United States, but it has a top 20 population, a vibrant cultural scene, and a diverse and thriving economy. Much of this vibrancy can be found in cities. So where are her three big cities in Tennessee?

Largest Cities in Tennessee by Population

Let’s begin by looking at the largest cities in the state by population. The figures in the table below are based on statistics from the 2020 U.S. Census. Population density calculations are based on these figures in conjunction with the recorded land area of each city.

Nashville

Nashville is Tennessee’s capital city, so, unsurprisingly, it leads the state in total population, with 689,447 people. It’s also fourth in the southeastern U.S. by population. The Nashville metropolitan area, which includes Nashville, Davidson, Murfreesboro, and Franklin, has a combined population of over two million, making it the 35th largest metropolitan area in the United States.

Over the past year, the Nashville metropolitan area saw an influx of nearly 100 people per day. This makes him the 10th fastest growing metropolitan area in the country among regions with over one million inhabitants.

Memphis

Memphis is a historic city on the Mississippi River, named after an ancient city in Egypt. With a population of 633,104 she is the second largest city in Tennessee and her fifth largest in the Southeast. In the Mississippi River Valley, he is the third largest metropolitan area after St. Louis, Missouri and St. Louis, Minneapolis.

Paul, Minnesota. The Memphis metropolitan area is experiencing moderate growth, but the city’s population is gradually declining. The population in 2020 decreased by 2.1% compared to the values ​​recorded in the 2010 Census.

Knoxville

Knoxville initially dealt with issues of geographic isolation and experienced its first population boom after the introduction of railroads. One of the largest cities in the Appalachian Mountains, he is also the birthplace of Appalachian culture.

Knoxville has a population of her 190,740, while her 879,773 live in the local metropolitan area. The city grew by about 10,000 people between the 2010 and 2020 Censuses, and although still less than 2.5% in the metropolitan areas, it has seen even more significant increases.

Largest Cities in Tennessee by Total Area

Tennessee’s population density varies by city size. This can make a surprising difference as smaller cities can have higher population densities. Note that the numbers below are different from the numbers used to calculate population density. The total area of ​​a city includes water not used to calculate population density. The area measure used for population density was land area.

Nashville

Nashville has by far the largest land area of ​​any city in Tennessee. He is over 60% larger than the next largest city. The city lies on the Cumberland River and is surrounded by hills.

The Cumberland River is about 1,163 feet above sea level, but its highest point, Lake Radnor State Natural Area, is 1,163 feet above sea level. The city has hot summers but fairly mild winters. Precipitation is also abundant in Nashville. Sinkholes are also a common problem in urban porous bedrock.

Memphis

Her second largest city in Tennessee by area is Memphis on the Mississippi River. Like much of Tennessee, Memphis has hot summers, moderately cool winters, and plenty of rainfall. Shelby County, home to Memphis, has four aquifers. The city of Memphis is shrinking as part of its land is returned to Shelby County.

Chattanooga

Chattanooga is her third largest city in Tennessee, with he just over 150 square miles. It lies along the Tennessee River between the valley and ridge portions of the Appalachian Mountains and the eastern edge of the Cumberland Plateau. Chattanooga, like most cities in Tennessee, has four seasons: hot summers and mild winters. Hot summers are getting hotter due to climate change, and Chattanooga is the fifth hottest city in the United States.

Tennessee Cities With the Largest Economic Impact

Tennessee has a surprisingly strong and diverse economy leveraging agriculture, technology, manufacturing, tourism, and healthcare. This diversity is spread throughout the metropolis. Tennessee’s annual GDP in 2022 is $475 billion, ranking 16th.

Nashville

Healthcare is Nashville’s most important industry, contributing over $30 billion annually to the local economy. It is also known in the music and record industry. The automotive industry is also beginning to have a significant impact on local employment.

The city is home to prominent employers such as Bridgestone, Dell, Dollar General, Tractor Supply Company and Hospital Corporation of America. Nashville is on track to have the strongest economic growth in 2021 with a GDP of over $132 billion among major metropolitan areas.

Memphis

Memphis has taken advantage of its location on the Mississippi River to generate a GDP of $76 billion. It also has access to an intersection of railroads, interstate highways, and the Memphis International Airport—the busiest airport for cargo in the world.

This makes the city a key cog in logistics, transportation, and shipping. It makes sense, then, that Memphis would be an ideal location for the headquarters of such companies as FedEx and Autozone. It also hosts other companies such as International Paper, Cargill Cotton, and Varsity Brands. Memphis’ economy outpaced the U.S. for only the second time in the past decade in 2021.

Knoxville

Knoxville’s GDP is over $43 billion, making it her third largest economic metropolis in Tennessee. Knoxville had a thriving textile industry in the first half of the 20th century. After the industry collapsed in the 1950s, the city diversified its economy.

The region currently has jobs in government, professional services, manufacturing, education, healthcare, hospitality and retail. It is the headquarters of the Tennessee Valley Authority and home of Pilot Flying J, a major rest stop company. Knoxville’s economy is expected to experience slow but steady growth in the near future.

Conclusion

Tennessee has so much to see and do, including beautiful natural resources, important cultural sites and activities, and numerous employment opportunities in a variety of industries. Nashville leads in population, area and GDP, with Memphis a solid second place. Knoxville is second in terms of population and GDP, while Chattanooga is the third largest city in the state by area.