Counties in Tennessee by population density

Davidson County had the highest population density of 95 counties in 2020, at 549.2 inhabitants per km². Perry County had the lowest, at 7.8 inhabitants per km². The median was 28.1 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Tennessee was 64.9 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest549.2Davidson County
Lowest7.8Perry County
Median28.195 counties
Tennessee64.9History

Top 40 counties, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

Davidson CountyDavidson County: 549.2 inhabitants per km²549.2Shelby CountyShelby County: 476.9 inhabitants per km²476.9Knox CountyKnox County: 364.9 inhabitants per km²364.9Hamilton CountyHamilton County: 262 inhabitants per km²262Rutherford CountyRutherford County: 213.9 inhabitants per km²213.9Williamson CountyWilliamson County: 165.3 inhabitants per km²165.3Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 158.5 inhabitants per km²158.5Washington CountyWashington County: 157.5 inhabitants per km²157.5Hamblen CountyHamblen County: 154.6 inhabitants per km²154.6Sullivan CountySullivan County: 147.7 inhabitants per km²147.7Sumner CountySumner County: 144 inhabitants per km²144Bradley CountyBradley County: 127.8 inhabitants per km²127.8Wilson CountyWilson County: 100.5 inhabitants per km²100.5Blount CountyBlount County: 93.7 inhabitants per km²93.7Loudon CountyLoudon County: 92.9 inhabitants per km²92.9Anderson CountyAnderson County: 88.6 inhabitants per km²88.6Putnam CountyPutnam County: 77.1 inhabitants per km²77.1Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 77 inhabitants per km²77Madison CountyMadison County: 68.5 inhabitants per km²68.5Sevier CountySevier County: 64.4 inhabitants per km²64.4Maury CountyMaury County: 64.1 inhabitants per km²64.1Carter CountyCarter County: 63.8 inhabitants per km²63.8Robertson CountyRobertson County: 59.1 inhabitants per km²59.1Roane CountyRoane County: 57.4 inhabitants per km²57.4Cheatham CountyCheatham County: 52.4 inhabitants per km²52.4Coffee CountyCoffee County: 52.3 inhabitants per km²52.3Tipton CountyTipton County: 51.7 inhabitants per km²51.7McMinn CountyMcMinn County: 47.9 inhabitants per km²47.9Hawkins CountyHawkins County: 45 inhabitants per km²45Greene CountyGreene County: 43.7 inhabitants per km²43.7Dickson CountyDickson County: 42.9 inhabitants per km²42.9Bedford CountyBedford County: 41.1 inhabitants per km²41.1Rhea CountyRhea County: 40.8 inhabitants per km²40.8Trousdale CountyTrousdale County: 39.3 inhabitants per km²39.3Unicoi CountyUnicoi County: 37.1 inhabitants per km²37.1Warren CountyWarren County: 36.6 inhabitants per km²36.6Marshall CountyMarshall County: 35.4 inhabitants per km²35.4Cumberland CountyCumberland County: 34.8 inhabitants per km²34.8Union CountyUnion County: 34.3 inhabitants per km²34.3Grainger CountyGrainger County: 32.4 inhabitants per km²32.4
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020
inhabitants per km²
1Davidson County549.2
2Shelby County476.9
3Knox County364.9
4Hamilton County262
5Rutherford County213.9
6Williamson County165.3
7Montgomery County158.5
8Washington County157.5
9Hamblen County154.6
10Sullivan County147.7
11Sumner County144
12Bradley County127.8
13Wilson County100.5
14Blount County93.7
15Loudon County92.9
16Anderson County88.6
17Putnam County77.1
18Jefferson County77
19Madison County68.5
20Sevier County64.4
21Maury County64.1
22Carter County63.8
23Robertson County59.1
24Roane County57.4
25Cheatham County52.4
26Coffee County52.3
27Tipton County51.7
28McMinn County47.9
29Hawkins County45
30Greene County43.7
31Dickson County42.9
32Bedford County41.1
33Rhea County40.8
34Trousdale County39.3
35Unicoi County37.1
36Warren County36.6
37Marshall County35.4
38Cumberland County34.8
39Union County34.3
40Grainger County32.4
41Gibson County32.3
42Cocke County31.9
43Macon County31.8
44Campbell County31.6
45Franklin County29.8
46Claiborne County28.5
47Monroe County28.2
48White County28.1
49Dyer County27.7
50Lawrence County27.6
51DeKalb County25.6
52Meigs County25.3
53Smith County24.5
54Lincoln County23.9
55Chester County23.5
56Johnson County23.3
57Sequatchie County23
58Fayette County23
59Marion County22.4
60Henry County22.1
61Weakley County21.9
62Obion County21.8
63Cannon County21.2
64Henderson County20.7
65Lauderdale County20.5
66Crockett County20.2
67Overton County20.1
68Moore County19.3
69Giles County19.2
70Carroll County18.4
71Hardin County18
72McNairy County17.7
73Lewis County17.3
74Lake County16.3
75Houston County16
76Scott County15.9
77Hickman County15.7
78Polk County15.6
79Morgan County15.6
80Benton County15.5
81Hardeman County14.7
82Jackson County14.6
83Grundy County14.5
84Fentress County14.4
85Bledsoe County14.2
86Humphreys County13.8
87Decatur County13.2
88Haywood County12.9
89Clay County12.4
90Pickett County11.9
91Hancock County11.5
91Stewart County11.5
93Van Buren County8.7
94Wayne County8.5
95Perry County7.8

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population divided by land area in km². World Bank figures use mid-year population and land area excluding inland water.

United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July divided by land area (water excluded) from the latest Census Gazetteer files. US tables often give people per square mile; multiply persons per km² by 2.59 to compare.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Rank Counties in Tennessee by population density using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest population density?

Davidson County, with 549.2 inhabitants per km² in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Perry County, with 7.8 inhabitants per km² in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Population density: other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings