The Rational Moderate

State profile

Tennessee

20 official measures, each beside the U.S. value, with Tennessee’s rank among the 50 states and DC and its margin of error where the source publishes one. Rank 1 is the highest value; a rank says nothing on its own about better or worse. Select a measure to see every state.

marks a rank that is not statistically different from the next higher state, by the Census Bureau’s test at the 90 percent confidence level. Margins of error are 90 percent.

Each comparison with the U.S. value uses the same test wherever the source publishes a margin of error. A difference is stated only where the test confirms it or no test is possible; untested ones are marked. For life expectancy the U.S. figure comes from a separate NCHS report without a standard error, so that test uses the state’s alone. A state is part of the nation, so the two estimates are not fully independent, which the Census Bureau’s ACS handbook warns about. The test does not adjust for it, and allowing for it changes none of the comparisons shown.

People

  • Population

    July 1, 2025

    7,315,076

    U.S.
    341,784,857; Tennessee is 2.1% of the U.S. total.
    Rank
    15 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Population growth

    July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025

    +0.88%

    U.S.
    +0.52%; Tennessee is 0.36 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    9 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median age

    July 1, 2025

    39.2 years

    U.S.
    39.4 years; Tennessee is 0.2 years lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    34 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Income and output

  • Median household income

    2024

    $71,997

    plus or minus $638

    U.S.
    $81,604; Tennessee is $9,607 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    41 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Ohio, or from the next lower state, Indiana.
    Price-adjusted
    $78,368, plus or minus $694: income divided by Tennessee’s 2024 regional price parity (91.9, U.S. = 100). Computed by this site, not published by Census or BEA, and not ranked.

  • Per capita personal income

    2025

    $69,274

    U.S.
    $77,028; Tennessee is $7,754 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    32 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Real per capita personal income

    2024

    $58,582

    U.S.
    $59,195; Tennessee is $613 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    25 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • GDP per capita

    2025

    $80,137

    U.S.
    $90,294; Tennessee is $10,157 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    30 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Poverty rate

    2024

    13.46%

    plus or minus 0.41%

    U.S.
    12.15%; Tennessee is 1.31 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    11 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, Michigan.

Prices and housing

  • Price level (RPP)

    2024

    91.9

    U.S.
    100.0; Tennessee is 8.1 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    38 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median home value

    2024

    $332,600

    plus or minus $2,448

    U.S.
    $360,600; Tennessee is $28,000 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    29 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, North Carolina.

  • Median gross rent

    2024

    $1,284

    plus or minus $16

    U.S.
    $1,487; Tennessee is $203 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    28 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Minnesota, or from the next lower state, South Carolina.

  • Rent burden

    2024

    50.15%

    plus or minus 1.43%

    U.S.
    51.77%; Tennessee is 1.62 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    24 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Maine, or from the next lower state, New Hampshire.

  • Homeownership rate

    2024

    66.82%

    plus or minus 0.53%

    U.S.
    65.27%; Tennessee is 1.55 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    33 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, North Carolina, or from the next lower state, Nebraska.

  • Residential electricity price

    January to July 2026

    13.87 cents

    U.S.
    18.19 cents; Tennessee is 4.32 cents lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    43 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.
    July 2026
    13.71 cents in that month alone (U.S. 18.31 cents)

Average residential electricity price, cents per kilowatthour, Tennessee and the United States, 1990 to 2024

Cents per kilowatthour, nominal (not adjusted for inflation), all residential customers. From EIA’s annual survey of utilities.

5 cents10 cents15 cents1990200020102020
Data table
YearTennesseeUnited States
19905.697.83
19915.658.04
19925.708.21
19935.768.32
19945.888.38
19955.918.40
19965.888.36
19976.038.43
19986.328.26
19996.348.16
20006.338.24
20016.328.58
20026.418.44
20036.558.72
20046.908.95
20056.989.45
20067.7510.40
20077.8410.65
20088.9111.26
20099.3211.51
20109.2311.54
20119.9811.72
201210.1011.88
20139.9812.13
201410.3212.52
201510.3012.65
201610.4112.55
201710.7212.89
201810.7112.87
201910.8713.01
202010.7613.15
202111.0713.66
202212.2515.04
202312.1916.00
202412.4216.48

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). HS861 1990-2009.xlsx and HS861 2010-.xlsx, sheet Total Electric Industry, RESIDENTIAL Price · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 35 rows · as of 2024 · annual. The CSV has every state since 1990. Download CSV

Work

  • Unemployment rate

    August 2026

    3.4%

    U.S.
    4.1%; Tennessee is 0.7 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    35 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Labor force participation

    August 2026

    59.2%

    U.S.
    61.6%; Tennessee is 2.4 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    38 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Unemployment rate, Tennessee and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Tennessee: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

0%5%10%15%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthTennesseeUnited States
Sept. 20164.85.0
Oct. 20164.84.9
Nov. 20164.84.7
Dec. 20164.74.7
Jan. 20174.54.7
Feb. 20174.34.6
March 20174.14.4
April 20173.94.4
May 20173.74.4
June 20173.64.3
July 20173.54.3
Aug. 20173.44.4
Sept. 20173.44.3
Oct. 20173.44.2
Nov. 20173.54.2
Dec. 20173.54.1
Jan. 20183.54.0
Feb. 20183.54.1
March 20183.54.0
April 20183.54.0
May 20183.53.8
June 20183.54.0
July 20183.53.8
Aug. 20183.53.8
Sept. 20183.53.7
Oct. 20183.53.8
Nov. 20183.53.8
Dec. 20183.53.9
Jan. 20193.54.0
Feb. 20193.43.8
March 20193.43.8
April 20193.43.7
May 20193.33.6
June 20193.23.6
July 20193.23.7
Aug. 20193.23.6
Sept. 20193.33.5
Oct. 20193.33.6
Nov. 20193.43.6
Dec. 20193.43.6
Jan. 20203.43.6
Feb. 20203.53.5
March 20203.54.4
April 202015.714.8
May 202012.113.2
June 202010.211.0
July 20209.010.2
Aug. 20207.68.4
Sept. 20207.17.8
Oct. 20206.36.9
Nov. 20205.96.7
Dec. 20205.66.7
Jan. 20215.36.4
Feb. 20215.26.2
March 20215.16.1
April 20215.06.1
May 20214.95.8
June 20214.75.9
July 20214.45.4
Aug. 20214.25.1
Sept. 20213.94.7
Oct. 20213.74.5
Nov. 20213.54.1
Dec. 20213.43.9
Jan. 20223.44.0
Feb. 20223.43.9
March 20223.33.7
April 20223.33.7
May 20223.33.6
June 20223.33.6
July 20223.33.5
Aug. 20223.33.6
Sept. 20223.43.5
Oct. 20223.43.6
Nov. 20223.43.6
Dec. 20223.43.5
Jan. 20233.43.5
Feb. 20233.33.6
March 20233.33.5
April 20233.23.4
May 20233.23.6
June 20233.23.6
July 20233.23.5
Aug. 20233.23.7
Sept. 20233.23.7
Oct. 20233.33.9
Nov. 20233.33.7
Dec. 20233.23.8
Jan. 20243.23.7
Feb. 20243.23.9
March 20243.23.9
April 20243.23.9
May 20243.33.9
June 20243.34.1
July 20243.44.2
Aug. 20243.54.2
Sept. 20243.54.1
Oct. 20243.64.1
Nov. 20243.64.2
Dec. 20243.54.1
Jan. 20253.54.0
Feb. 20253.54.2
March 20253.54.2
April 20253.54.2
May 20253.54.3
June 20253.54.1
July 20253.54.3
Aug. 20253.54.3
Sept. 20253.54.4
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 20253.64.5
Dec. 20253.64.4
Jan. 20263.54.3
Feb. 20263.64.4
March 20263.64.3
April 20263.64.3
May 20263.64.3
June 20263.54.2
July 20263.44.1
Aug. 20263.44.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000003 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED UNRATE · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Labor force participation rate, Tennessee and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Tennessee: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

58%59%60%61%62%63%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthTennesseeUnited States
Sept. 201660.362.9
Oct. 201660.362.8
Nov. 201660.362.7
Dec. 201660.262.7
Jan. 201760.262.8
Feb. 201760.362.9
March 201760.362.9
April 201760.363.0
May 201760.462.8
June 201760.462.8
July 201760.562.9
Aug. 201760.562.9
Sept. 201760.663.1
Oct. 201760.562.7
Nov. 201760.562.7
Dec. 201760.562.7
Jan. 201860.562.7
Feb. 201860.663.0
March 201860.862.9
April 201860.962.9
May 201861.062.9
June 201861.063.0
July 201861.063.0
Aug. 201861.062.6
Sept. 201861.062.8
Oct. 201861.162.9
Nov. 201861.262.9
Dec. 201861.463.0
Jan. 201961.663.1
Feb. 201961.763.1
March 201961.863.0
April 201961.962.8
May 201961.962.9
June 201961.963.0
July 201961.963.1
Aug. 201961.963.1
Sept. 201961.963.2
Oct. 201961.963.3
Nov. 201961.963.3
Dec. 201961.863.3
Jan. 202061.763.3
Feb. 202061.463.3
March 202061.162.6
April 202058.860.1
May 202059.960.8
June 202059.761.5
July 202060.161.5
Aug. 202060.261.7
Sept. 202060.761.4
Oct. 202060.761.7
Nov. 202060.861.5
Dec. 202060.861.5
Jan. 202160.761.4
Feb. 202160.661.4
March 202160.561.5
April 202160.461.6
May 202160.461.6
June 202160.561.7
July 202160.561.8
Aug. 202160.461.7
Sept. 202160.461.7
Oct. 202160.461.8
Nov. 202160.461.9
Dec. 202160.662.0
Jan. 202260.762.2
Feb. 202260.962.3
March 202261.062.4
April 202260.962.2
May 202260.862.3
June 202260.762.2
July 202260.562.1
Aug. 202260.362.3
Sept. 202260.162.2
Oct. 202259.962.2
Nov. 202259.862.1
Dec. 202259.862.3
Jan. 202359.862.4
Feb. 202359.862.5
March 202359.962.6
April 202359.962.6
May 202360.062.6
June 202360.062.6
July 202360.062.6
Aug. 202360.062.8
Sept. 202360.062.7
Oct. 202360.062.6
Nov. 202359.962.8
Dec. 202359.962.5
Jan. 202459.962.5
Feb. 202459.862.6
March 202459.962.7
April 202459.962.6
May 202460.062.6
June 202460.062.6
July 202460.062.7
Aug. 202460.162.7
Sept. 202460.162.7
Oct. 202460.162.5
Nov. 202460.262.4
Dec. 202460.362.5
Jan. 202560.462.6
Feb. 202560.562.5
March 202560.562.5
April 202560.662.6
May 202560.662.4
June 202560.562.3
July 202560.662.2
Aug. 202560.662.3
Sept. 202560.662.5
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 202560.662.5
Dec. 202560.662.4
Jan. 202660.562.1
Feb. 202660.362.0
March 202660.061.9
April 202659.761.8
May 202659.661.8
June 202659.461.5
July 202659.361.4
Aug. 202659.261.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000008 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED CIVPART · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Health and education

  • Life expectancy

    2022

    73.8 years

    plus or minus 0.09 years

    U.S.
    77.5 years; Tennessee is 3.7 years lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    46 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Oklahoma, or from the next lower state, Alabama.

  • Uninsured rate

    2024

    9.69%

    plus or minus 0.24%

    U.S.
    8.20%; Tennessee is 1.49 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    11 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Mississippi, or from the next lower state, Arkansas.

  • Bachelor's degree or higher

    2024

    32.42%

    plus or minus 0.46%

    U.S.
    36.85%; Tennessee is 4.43 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    38 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Alaska, or from the next lower state, Ohio.

Civic participation

  • Voter turnout (self-reported)

    Nov. 5, 2024 general election

    64.8%

    plus or minus 2.6%

    U.S.
    65.3%; Tennessee is not statistically different from the U.S. value (its estimate is 0.5 points lower).
    Rank
    33 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Idaho, or from the next lower state, California.

Sources and data

Every figure on this page, with its source, period and the CSV behind it (all 50 states and DC, with ranks and the test). Retrieved Oct. 2, 2026.

  1. Population, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  2. Population growth, July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  3. Median age, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 (SC-EST2025-AGESEX). CSV
  4. Median household income, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  5. Median home value, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  6. Median gross rent, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  7. Poverty rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  8. Rent burden, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  9. Homeownership rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  10. Uninsured rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  11. Bachelor's degree or higher, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  12. Price level (RPP), 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP). CSV
  13. Real per capita personal income, 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real Personal Income by State (SARPI). CSV
  14. Per capita personal income, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, State Annual Personal Income (SAINC1). CSV
  15. GDP per capita, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by State (SAGDP1), and U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population. CSV
  16. Unemployment rate, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  17. Labor force participation, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  18. Life expectancy, 2022: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. State Life Tables, 2022 (National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 74, No. 12). CSV
  19. Residential electricity price, January to July 2026: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.B and 5.6.A. CSV
  20. Voter turnout (self-reported), Nov. 5, 2024 general election: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November 2024 Voting and Registration Supplement, Table 4a. CSV
  21. Unemployment rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  22. Labor force participation rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  23. Average residential electricity price by state, annual, 1990 to 2024: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). CSV