What is the size of Tennessee?

The size of Tennessee is 42,169 sq miles or 109,257 sq km. The state is 120 miles (195 km) wide and 440 miles (710 km) in length. The capital is Nashville.

Geographical Information

2.2 % of the area is water. The latitude is 34 degrees, 59’ N to 36 degrees, N. The longitude is 81 degrees, 39’ W to 90 degrees, 19’ W. Tennessee’s highest point is Clingmans Dome (6,643 ft). The lowest is the Mississippi River at 178 ft (56 m). The mean is 900 ft (280 m). The eastern section of the state is known for the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains.

Population Growth

The 2008 population estimate was 6,214,888. The density was 138.0/sq mi (53.29 sq km).

The size of Tennessee’s population back in 1790 was 35,691. The figure jumped to 105,602 in 1800 and doubled in 1810 (261,727). 1820 saw the figure rise to 422,823. In 1840, Tennessee’s population was estimated to be 681,904. The number went up to 1,002,717 by 1850.

By 1900, the population size had surpassed the 2 million mark (2,020,616). The 1930 census showed the figure was at 2,616,556 and hit 3,291,718 in 1950. Tennessee’s population in 1980 was 4,591,120. It passed the 5 million mark in the year 2000 (5,689,283).

82% of the population has been estimated to be white; 16.81% black and the rest divided between Native Americans, Asians and Hawaiians.

Size of Tennessee Cities by Population

Memphis is the most populated with 650,100 followed by Nashville with 545,524. Knoxville is at third with 173,890 and Chattanooga is fourth with 155,554. Clarksville is at number five with 103,455; Murfreesboro is next with 68,816 residents.

Jackson has a population of 59,643. Johnson City is at number eight with 55,469. Kingsport is at number nine with 44,905 and Franklin is at ten with a population of 41,842.

Hendersonville is at 11 with a population of 40,620. Bartlett is 12th (40,543) followed by Germantown (37,348) and Cleveland (37,192). Columbia is the 15th most populated with 33,055 residents. Collierville is 16th with a population of 31,872 followed by Oak Ridge (27,387) and Smyrna (25,569).

Size of Tennessee Cities & Towns by Area

Nashville has an area of 526 sq mi (1,362 sq km). Memphis is next with an area of 313.8 sq mi (763 sq km). Chattanooga is the third largest at 143.2 sq mi (370.8 sq km).

Lynchburg is at number four with an area of 130.4 sq mi (33.7 sq km) and Knoxville is at five with 98.08 sq mi (253 sq km). Clarksville is next with an area of 95 sq mi (257 sq km). Oak Ridge is seventh with an area of 89.9 sq mi (232 sq km).

Jackson is at eight with an area measuring 49.5 sq mi (129.2 sq km). Kingsport measures 45 sq mi (116 sq km) and Johnson City is at the tenth spot with 39 sq mi (102.5 sq km).

The sizes of Tennessee’s cities provided (area wise) are as of the year 2000. These figures may change depending on new boundary agreements or accords.