Tennessee’s population swelled to 7.1 million people in 2023, the latest figures released by the U.S. Census Bureau show, putting the state on track to snag a 10th U.S. House of Representatives seat during the next redistricting cycle eight years from now.
Tennessee’s population is around 215,000 higher than the 2020 census count. Most of the population increase has occurred in Middle Tennessee, in the counties surrounding Nashville. But Knoxville and the counties around it have also seen an uptick in people.
(READ MORE: Chattanooga’s growth lags behind most of the state’s large urban areas)
The U.S. Census Bureau conducts its population counting for congressional districts every 10 years, with the most recent one taking place in 2020. The 2023 population count, released earlier this month, is based on census bureau’s American Community Survey.
The U.S. Constitution requires the Census Bureau to count every person in the country by hand every 10 years. But the method is often not the most accurate way to determine the country’s populations because many people get counted twice or some are missed entirely. The next count will happen in 2030, affecting the 2032 U.S. House elections.