Tennessee among top 10 states for population growth. Here's the data

Tennessee had one of the largest population increases in the United States, making it among the most popular states to move to.

A SmartAsset study

analyzed year-over-year population changes in all 50 states to determine which saw the greatest growth or loss between July 1, 2024, and July 1, 2025, according to the U.S. Census. The study also identified which states have the oldest and youngest populations.

Tennessee had one of the largest population increases, ranking No. 10 nationally.

Here is Tennessee's population breakdown in 2026.

How much has Tennessee's population grown?

According to the study from SmartAsset, which uses 2025 U.S. Census data, Tennessee's population increased by 0.88% between mid-2024 and mid-2025. This matches the percent increase in Nevada and Georgia.

The state had

a population of 7,251,076 in 2024, which increased to 7,315,076 in 2025. Tennessee had the 12th youngest population at 39, tied with Arkansas, Arizona, California, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Virginia and Washington.

The state also has 5.77% of its population under age 5 and 18.60% age 65 or older.

Which states had the largest population increases?

South Carolina had the largest population increase at 1.46%, with a total population of 5,570,274. The state's median age is 41, and the 65-and-older age group makes up 21.06% of the population.

1. South Carolina: 1.46% year-over-year increase
2. Idaho: 1.44% year-over-year increase
3. North Carolina: 1.32% year-over-year increase
4. Texas: 1.25% year-over-year increase
5. Utah: 1.03% year-over-year increase
6. Delaware: 0.94% year-over-year increase
7. Washington: 0.92% year-over-year increase
8. Arizona: 0.89% year-over-year increase
9. Nevada: 0.88% year-over-year increase
10. Tennessee: 0.88% year-over-year increase

Which states had the largest population decreases?

Only five states lost residents in 2025. Among the five states with negative population growth, Vermont had the largest decline, losing about 0.3% of its population.

1. Vermont: -0.29% year-over-year decrease
2. Hawaii: -0.15% year-over-year decrease
3. West Virginia: -0.07% year-over-year decrease
4. New Mexico: -0.06% year-over-year decrease
5. California: -0.02% year-over-year decrease

Jordan Green covers trending news for The Commercial Appeal and Tennessee. She can be reached at [e-mail].

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Tennessee among top 10 states for population growth. Here's the data