Tennessee

Home/Tennessee Tennessee State-to-state migration of people and income, 2022–2023 filing years At a glance (2023) Cost of living 92 8% below the U.S. average Median home value $256,800 national $303,400 Home prices, 5 years +64.1% over the 5 years to 2023 Monthly rent $1,122 national $1,348 Homeownership 67% national 65% Unemployment 3.3% national 3.6% Household income $67,097 national $78,538 Median age 38.9 yrs national 38.7 The cost of living runs about 8% below the national average. The median home is valued at $256,800 (nominal). Home prices have risen about 64% over the five years to 2023. Median rent is about $1,122 a month. Unemployment averaged 3.3% in 2023 (national 3.6%). Median household income is $67,097. These figures describe all residents, not just tax filers, come from separate sources than the migration data on this page, and do not indicate why anyone moved. Between the 2022 and 2023 filing years, Tennessee saw a net gain of 23,884 tax-filing households and a net gain of 42,740 individuals. Against a population of about 7,126,489, that is a net inflow of about 6 per 1,000 residents. On net, the area gained $2.7B in associated adjusted gross income (AGI, nominal dollars). The largest inflow, about 12,505 households, came from Florida; the largest outflow, about 9,475 households, went to Florida. In the prior (2022) filing year, the area saw a net gain of 60,959 individuals. These figures cover federal income tax filers only and do not indicate why people moved. Net income (AGI) +$2.7B nominal dollars Net households +23,884 tax returns Net people +42,740 exemptions +6.0 net people per 1,000 residents (population 7,126,489) Income (AGI) in and out Moved in$9.1B Moved out$6.4B Net +$2.7B (nominal) HowAmericaMoves.com Tennessee counties Net migration by county. Hover for figures; click a county to open it. Net outNet in(AGI $) Hover an area to trace its top 5 inbound (in) and outbound (out) moves. Net income (AGI) that moved in minus out, in nominal dollars (not adjusted for inflation).Net tax returns (filing households) that moved in minus out.Net people per 1,000 residents, so larger and smaller areas compare fairly. Hover an area to trace its top moves HowAmericaMoves.com Top origin states 1Florida12,505$945.3M2California10,246$1.1B3Georgia8,430$618M4Texas6,952$606.3M5Mississippi5,641$271.2M6Kentucky5,634$313.4M7Illinois5,141$531.8M8North Carolina5,058$365.6M9Alabama4,554$292.2M10Virginia4,371$338.9M HowAmericaMoves.com Top destination states 1Florida9,475$816M2Georgia7,832$523M3Texas6,776$522.9M4Mississippi5,685$301.6M5Kentucky5,516$294.5M6Alabama4,905$324.1M7North Carolina4,796$360M8California3,810$327.4M9Virginia3,637$236M10Illinois2,901$185.6M HowAmericaMoves.com Churn by state both directions at once The biggest two-way exchanges of filing households, 2022–2023. Moved in and moved out are gross one-way counts; net is the difference. Click a column to sort. Florida 12,505 9,475 +3,030 +$129.3M Georgia 8,430 7,832 +598 +$95M California 10,246 3,810 +6,436 +$786.7M Texas 6,952 6,776 +176 +$83.4M Mississippi 5,641 5,685 -44 -$30.3M Kentucky 5,634 5,516 +118 +$18.9M North Carolina 5,058 4,796 +262 +$5.6M Alabama 4,554 4,905 -351 -$32M Illinois 5,141 2,901 +2,240 +$346.1M Virginia 4,371 3,637 +734 +$102.9M New York 3,817 2,279 +1,538 +$161.7M Ohio 3,365 2,672 +693 +$154M Counts are filing households (IRS returns), matching the lists above; income is nominal AGI. A dash means the IRS published only one direction of that exchange (small flows are suppressed), so no net is computed. HowAmericaMoves.com Net migration by year Net 2012–2023: +$23.1B (+414,347 people) 20122023 HowAmericaMoves.com Net AGI and net people by year (nominal dollars) Year Net AGI Net people 2012 +$627.6M +19,585 2013 +$355M +14,818 2014 +$864.5M +16,550 2015 +$580.3M +13,829 2016 +$1.3B +26,158 2017 +$1.8B +45,007 2018 +$1.6B +32,778 2019 +$1.9B +34,155 2020 +$2.6B +45,464 2021 +$4.1B +62,304 2022 +$4.7B +60,959 2023 +$2.7B +42,740 Migration in context How big is this move, relative to the state? In the 2022–2023 filing year, about 42,740 more people moved into Tennessee than left (counting tax filers and their dependents) — a net gain of about $2.7B in income (nominal) — in a state of 7,153,029 people. Population 7,153,029 Census 2023 estimate Net migration rate +6.0 net people per 1,000 residents A town of 10,000 would net about +60 people. Net income per resident +$383 nominal dollars ≈ +$2.7B total across 7,153,029 residents. The rate lets you compare Tennessee with a stateof any size: it’s the net flow divided by population. The IRS counts tax filers; population counts all residents, so read the rate as a scale indicator, not a literal share of people. HowAmericaMoves.com Components of population change 2023 (Census) Where the state’s overall change came from. Census counts all residents; the IRS migration above is one slice of the domestic-migration component. Births +83,201 Deaths 81,142 Net domestic migration +60,397 Net international migration +26,129 Total change +89,704 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program. Figures are people, not tax filers. HowAmericaMoves.com Income & cost of living What a dollar is worth here Prices around Tennessee run about 8% below the national average. In plain terms: $100 spent here buys about what $109 buys in the average American community. The figures below apply that to income, each compared to the U.S. average of $70,002 per person. Income per person $63,479 what people here earn (BEA 2023, nominal) 9% below the U.S. average Price level 92.1 100 = U.S. average prices (BEA price parity) everyday costs about 7.9% lower than average What that income buys $68,928 local income restated at U.S.-average prices 2% below the U.S. average Cheaper than U.S. avgU.S. average (100)Pricier Price parity shown at the state level (BEA does not publish a single figure below the metro level). HowAmericaMoves.com Where the cost comes from price parity by category Index where 100 = U.S. average for that category. Housing is usually what separates one place from another. Housing & rents77.9 Goods94.3 Utilities76.4 Other services97.1 Housing is measured from rents (including an estimated rental value for owner-occupied homes), so a run-up in purchase prices shows here only as it reaches rents. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Covers all residents, a separate universe from the IRS filer income above. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Who lives here The people of Tennessee American Community Survey, 2019–2023 (a 5-year average of all residents, not just tax filers). Median age 38.9 years Median household income $67,097 per household (ACS 2019–2023, nominal) 15% below the U.S. median College degree 30% adults 25+ with a bachelor's or higher Poverty rate 13.8% residents below the poverty line Average commute 26 min mean travel time to work Broadband at home 87% households with any broadband Race and ethnicity (share of residents) White 71%Hispanic 7%Black 16%Asian 2%Other 4% White, Black, and Asian counts are people who are not Hispanic or Latino; Hispanic or Latino can be of any race. Shares are rounded and may not total 100. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Covers all residents, a separate universe from the IRS filer data. A 5-year estimate is an average over 2019–2023; compare years at least five apart, since consecutive windows overlap. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Housing what it costs to live here (ACS 2019–2023) Median home value $256,800 owner-occupied homes 15% below the U.S. median Median rent $1,122 gross rent per month 17% below the U.S. median Homeownership 67% of occupied homes are owner-occupied Home-price appreciation FHFA index, 2023 Past year +7.4% price change, 2022 to 2023 Past 5 years +64% price change, 2018 to 2023 A repeat-sales index (how much the same homes changed in price), so it tracks the market over time rather than the current level. Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency, annual all-transactions HPI; the county series is FHFA’s developmental index. New home construction building permits, 2023 47,463new housing units authorized in 2023 Single-family 66%Multifamily 34% Units authorized by residential building permits (new supply), summed from counties for the state and U.S. Permits are authorizations, not completions. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Home value is what owners estimate their homes are worth, not recent sale prices. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2019–2023), nominal dollars. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Local economy & risk Jobs and natural hazards Unemployment rate 3.3% BLS 2023 annual average Labor force 3,405,116 3,294,385 employed Disaster declarations 7 major federal, 2023 most common: Severe Storm Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS) and FEMA. A disaster declaration marks federal assistance eligibility, not damage severity, and says nothing about why anyone moved. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Unemployment now 3.1% May 2026 ▼ 0.2 points vs May 2025 January 2024May 2026 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS). Monthly unemployment for this state, not seasonally adjusted. Updated every month, so it moves faster than the annual average above. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Who’s moving by income Net migration by income bracket Tax-filing households that moved into Tennessee minus those that left, by the adjusted gross income they reported, 2022–2023. Positive means more arrived than left at that income level. $1–$10k +727 In 9,273Out 8,546+$3.7M AGI $10k–$25k +3,369 In 22,243Out 18,874+$61.3M AGI $25k–$50k +6,263 In 30,338Out 24,075+$228.5M AGI $50k–$75k +3,412 In 17,317Out 13,905+$212.2M AGI $75k–$100k +2,313 In 10,409Out 8,096+$200.6M AGI $100k–$200k +4,486 In 16,159Out 11,673+$634.2M AGI $200k+ +3,122 In 7,772Out 4,650+$1.4B AGI Among the highest earners ($200k+), Tennessee ranks #5 of 51 states for net household migration (+3,122). Source: IRS Statistics of Income, state-level gross migration file (returns with negative AGI are excluded, so this won’t exactly match the totals above). Income is what filers reported, not a reason anyone moved. Compare all states by income bracket. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Goods trade What Tennessee ships and receives Physical goods shipped between Tennessee and other states, 2022. This is freight, not the migration of people or income shown above. $299.5B Ships to other states +3% since 2017 $314.4B Receives from states +35% since 2017 $15.0B Net balance Top goods shipped out Pharmaceutical products $73.2B Motorized and other vehicles (includes parts) $69.8B Mixed freight $31.7B Machinery $28.0B Electronic and other electrical equipment and components, and office equipment $26.7B Textiles, leather, and articles of textiles or leather $19.9B Top goods received Pharmaceutical products $45.4B Electronic and other electrical equipment and components, and office equipment $39.1B Motorized and other vehicles (includes parts) $34.3B Mixed freight $27.4B Machinery $25.0B Plastics and rubber $18.7B Biggest trading partners (both ways) Goods trade runs in both directions: states swap different goods, so a partner is often near the top of both columns. Net is ships minus receives (positive means Tennessee ships more to that partner than it gets back). Partner Ships to Receives Net Total Texas $25.8B $22.6B +$3.2B $48.5B Georgia $22.0B $23.9B -$1.9B $45.8B California $14.0B $23.2B -$9.2B $37.2B Kentucky $17.4B $18.5B -$1.1B $35.9B Alabama $12.6B $15.9B -$3.3B $28.5B Michigan $15.9B $11.0B +$5.0B $26.9B North Carolina $13.0B $13.8B -$749M $26.8B Florida $15.4B $10.6B +$4.9B $26.0B Goods shipped every five years by the Census Commodity Flow Survey (a sample, so figures are estimates and the smallest flows are withheld). Value is nominal. The totals and partner table above count trade between Tennessee and other states; the goods lists count everything the state ships or receives, including within-state shipments. Compare all states. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Taxes the state collects What Tennessee collects in taxes Total state taxes $23.8B FY 2023, nominal Per resident $3,324 total state taxes ÷ population Largest categories (share of total) General sales & gross receipts$13.8B 58% Corporation net income tax$3.2B 13% Corporation license$1.5B 6% Insurance premium sales tax$1.3B 5% Motor fuels sales tax$1.3B 5% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections. This is what the state government collected (not local taxes), not a measure of any individual’s tax burden. How the data works. HowAmericaMoves.com Elections National maps → How Tennessee has voted. Certified returns, popular vote only. This is a separate dataset from the migration figures on this page. President, 1976–2024 Year Democratic Republican Other Margin Total 2024 1,056,265 1,966,865 40,812 R +29.7 3,063,942 2020 1,143,711 1,852,475 57,665 R +23.2 3,053,851 2016 870,695 1,522,925 114,407 R +26.0 2,508,027 2012 960,709 1,462,330 35,538 R +20.4 2,458,577 2008 1,087,437 1,479,178 33,509 R +15.1 2,600,124 2004 1,032,910 1,381,225 16,359 R +14.3 2,430,494 2000 981,720 1,061,949 32,512 R +3.9 2,076,181 1996 909,146 863,530 121,429 D +2.4 1,894,105 1992 933,521 841,300 207,817 D +4.7 1,982,638 1988 679,794 947,233 9,223 R +16.3 1,636,250 1984 711,714 990,212 10,067 R +16.3 1,711,993 1980 783,051 787,761 46,804 R +0.3 1,617,616 1976 825,879 633,969 16,498 D +13.0 1,476,346 U.S. Senate races all states → Year Winner Democratic Republican Other Margin 2024 Marsha Blackburn 1,027,461 1,918,743 61,404 R +29.6 2020 Bill Hagerty 1,040,691 1,840,926 78,144 R +27.0 2018 Marsha Blackburn 985,450 1,227,483 30,807 R +10.8 2014 Lamar Alexander 437,848 850,087 86,125 R +30.0 2012 Bob Corker 705,882 1,506,443 107,864 R +34.5 2008 Lamar Alexander 767,236 1,579,477 77,872 R +33.5 2006 Bob Corker 879,976 929,911 23,808 R +2.7 2002 Lamar Alexander 728,232 891,498 22,346 R +9.9 2000 Bill Frist 621,152 1,255,444 51,758 R +32.9 U.S. House seats won district maps → 2024 D 1 R 8 2022 D 1 R 8 2020 D 2 R 7 2018 D 2 R 7 2016 D 2 R 7 2014 D 2 R 7 2012 D 2 R 7 2010 D 2 R 7 2008 D 5 R 4 2006 D 5 R 4 2004 D 5 R 4 2002 D 5 R 4 2000 D 4 R 5 2024 results by county Republican wonDemocratic wonIndependent / other Which party received the most votes, as a solid color.Winning margin as a share of all votes cast.Change in margin since 2020, in percentage points.Total votes cast, all candidates. HowAmericaMoves.com Source: MIT Election Data and Science Lab county returns (CC0). Margins are the popular-vote gap as a share of all votes cast. Counties in Tennessee (95) Anderson CountyBedford CountyBenton CountyBledsoe CountyBlount CountyBradley CountyCampbell CountyCannon CountyCarroll CountyCarter CountyCheatham CountyChester CountyClaiborne CountyClay CountyCocke CountyCoffee CountyCrockett CountyCumberland CountyDavidson CountyDeKalb CountyDecatur CountyDickson CountyDyer CountyFayette CountyFentress CountyFranklin CountyGibson CountyGiles CountyGrainger CountyGreene CountyGrundy CountyHamblen CountyHamilton CountyHancock CountyHardeman CountyHardin CountyHawkins CountyHaywood CountyHenderson CountyHenry CountyHickman CountyHouston CountyHumphreys CountyJackson CountyJefferson CountyJohnson CountyKnox CountyLake CountyLauderdale CountyLawrence CountyLewis CountyLincoln CountyLoudon CountyMacon CountyMadison CountyMarion CountyMarshall CountyMaury CountyMcMinn CountyMcNairy CountyMeigs CountyMonroe CountyMontgomery CountyMoore CountyMorgan CountyObion CountyOverton CountyPerry CountyPickett CountyPolk CountyPutnam CountyRhea CountyRoane CountyRobertson CountyRutherford CountyScott CountySequatchie CountySevier CountyShelby CountySmith CountyStewart CountySullivan CountySumner CountyTipton CountyTrousdale CountyUnicoi CountyUnion CountyVan Buren CountyWarren CountyWashington CountyWayne CountyWeakley CountyWhite CountyWilliamson CountyWilson County Get the next update for Tennessee The IRS releases new migration data once a year. 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