Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Tennessee

Counties in Tennessee by population density

Davidson County had the highest population density of 95 counties in 2021, at 537.9 inhabitants per km². Perry County had the lowest, at 7.9 inhabitants per km². The median was 28.2 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Tennessee was 65.2 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest537.9Davidson County
Lowest7.9Perry County
Median28.295 counties
Tennessee65.2History

Top 40 counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Davidson CountyDavidson County: 537.9 inhabitants per km²537.9Shelby CountyShelby County: 473.6 inhabitants per km²473.6Knox CountyKnox County: 369.1 inhabitants per km²369.1Hamilton CountyHamilton County: 263.3 inhabitants per km²263.3Rutherford CountyRutherford County: 218.9 inhabitants per km²218.9Williamson CountyWilliamson County: 169.7 inhabitants per km²169.7Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 163.1 inhabitants per km²163.1Washington CountyWashington County: 157.8 inhabitants per km²157.8Hamblen CountyHamblen County: 154.2 inhabitants per km²154.2Sullivan CountySullivan County: 148.7 inhabitants per km²148.7Sumner CountySumner County: 146.3 inhabitants per km²146.3Bradley CountyBradley County: 128.9 inhabitants per km²128.9Wilson CountyWilson County: 102.8 inhabitants per km²102.8Loudon CountyLoudon County: 95.7 inhabitants per km²95.7Blount CountyBlount County: 95.1 inhabitants per km²95.1Anderson CountyAnderson County: 88.9 inhabitants per km²88.9Putnam CountyPutnam County: 78.2 inhabitants per km²78.2Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 77.9 inhabitants per km²77.9Madison CountyMadison County: 68.3 inhabitants per km²68.3Maury CountyMaury County: 66.1 inhabitants per km²66.1Sevier CountySevier County: 64.9 inhabitants per km²64.9Carter CountyCarter County: 63.5 inhabitants per km²63.5Robertson CountyRobertson County: 60 inhabitants per km²60Roane CountyRoane County: 58 inhabitants per km²58Coffee CountyCoffee County: 53.1 inhabitants per km²53.1Cheatham CountyCheatham County: 52.9 inhabitants per km²52.9Tipton CountyTipton County: 51.8 inhabitants per km²51.8McMinn CountyMcMinn County: 48.4 inhabitants per km²48.4Hawkins CountyHawkins County: 45.3 inhabitants per km²45.3Greene CountyGreene County: 43.8 inhabitants per km²43.8Dickson CountyDickson County: 43.5 inhabitants per km²43.5Bedford CountyBedford County: 41.7 inhabitants per km²41.7Rhea CountyRhea County: 41 inhabitants per km²41Trousdale CountyTrousdale County: 39.2 inhabitants per km²39.2Warren CountyWarren County: 37 inhabitants per km²37Unicoi CountyUnicoi County: 36.6 inhabitants per km²36.6Marshall CountyMarshall County: 36 inhabitants per km²36Cumberland CountyCumberland County: 35.4 inhabitants per km²35.4Union CountyUnion County: 34.6 inhabitants per km²34.6Grainger CountyGrainger County: 32.7 inhabitants per km²32.7
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2020
1Davidson County537.9-2.1%
2Shelby County473.6-0.7%
3Knox County369.1+1.2%
4Hamilton County263.3+0.5%
5Rutherford County218.9+2.3%
6Williamson County169.7+2.6%
7Montgomery County163.1+2.9%
8Washington County157.8+0.2%
9Hamblen County154.2-0.3%
10Sullivan County148.7+0.6%
11Sumner County146.3+1.6%
12Bradley County128.9+0.9%
13Wilson County102.8+2.3%
14Loudon County95.7+3.1%
15Blount County95.1+1.5%
16Anderson County88.9+0.4%
17Putnam County78.2+1.5%
18Jefferson County77.9+1.2%
19Madison County68.3-0.2%
20Maury County66.1+3.1%
21Sevier County64.9+0.8%
22Carter County63.5-0.5%
23Robertson County60+1.5%
24Roane County58+0.9%
25Coffee County53.1+1.5%
26Cheatham County52.9+0.9%
27Tipton County51.8+0.1%
28McMinn County48.4+1.1%
29Hawkins County45.3+0.9%
30Greene County43.8+0.3%
31Dickson County43.5+1.4%
32Bedford County41.7+1.6%
33Rhea County41+0.6%
34Trousdale County39.2-0.2%
35Warren County37+1%
36Unicoi County36.6-1.4%
37Marshall County36+1.7%
38Cumberland County35.4+1.7%
39Union County34.6+0.9%
40Grainger County32.7+0.9%
41Gibson County32.3+0.1%
42Macon County32.3+1.6%
43Cocke County32.2+0.9%
44Campbell County31.7+0.4%
45Franklin County30.1+0.8%
46Claiborne County28.5-0.1%
47Monroe County28.3+0.6%
48White County28.2+0.4%
49Lawrence County28+1.4%
50Dyer County27.6-0.2%
51DeKalb County26+1.6%
52Meigs County25.8+1.7%
53Smith County24.8+1.1%
54Lincoln County24+0.3%
55Sequatchie County23.9+3.8%
56Chester County23.6+0.6%
57Fayette County23.4+1.8%
58Johnson County23.3+0.3%
59Marion County22.4+0.2%
60Henry County22.2+0.3%
61Weakley County21.9-0%
62Obion County21.6-1%
63Cannon County21.1-0.1%
64Henderson County20.7+0.3%
65Lauderdale County20.3-1%
66Crockett County20.3+0.5%
66Overton County20.3+1.1%
68Moore County19.9+2.8%
69Giles County19.2+0.3%
70Carroll County18.3-0.5%
71Hardin County18+0.1%
72McNairy County17.7-0%
73Lewis County17.6+1.9%
74Houston County160%
75Scott County15.9+0.1%
76Hickman County15.8+0.4%
77Polk County15.7+0.8%
78Morgan County15.6+0.4%
79Benton County15.5-0.1%
80Lake County15.3-6%
81Jackson County14.7+1.1%
82Hardeman County14.6-0.7%
83Fentress County14.6+1.7%
84Grundy County14.5+0.3%
85Bledsoe County14.1-0.7%
86Humphreys County14+1%
87Decatur County13.2-0.3%
88Haywood County12.8-0.9%
89Clay County12.4-0%
90Pickett County12+1.4%
91Hancock County11.8+2.5%
92Stewart County11.6+0.8%
93Van Buren County8.9+2%
94Wayne County8.6+0.7%
95Perry County7.9+1.3%

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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Questions

Which county has the highest population density?

Davidson County, with 537.9 inhabitants per km² in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Perry County, with 7.9 inhabitants per km² in 2021.

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