At a glance: Tennessee Tennessee is the 15th most populous state in the U.S., with 7,227,750 residents across its 42,120 square miles, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The state ranked No. 8 for business in 2024 by CNBC. Tennessee has a pro-business climate and a low cost of doing business. Some of the largest industries in Tennessee include healthcare, transportation, music and entertainment, banking, and finance. Energy Tennessee ranks No. 30 among states for most energy production, with its leading production sources being nuclear, noncombustible renewables and wood/waste, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Tennessee ranks No. 22 for most energy consumption. The leading energy sources consumed by Tennesseans is natural gas, motor gasoline and nuclear power. Tennesseans’ residential electricity rate is $0.129/kWh, cheaper than the national average. Commercial electricity rate is also cheaper; Tennessee commercial users pay a rate of $0.118/kWh, compared to the national average commercial rate of $0.1259/kWh. Industrial users pay $0.0623/kWh, below the national average industrial electricity rate of $0.0804/kWh. Tennesseans’ residential natural gas price is $11.68 per thousand cubic feet, below the national average of $14.75, according to the most recently available data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Environment Annual carbon emissions increased 17 percent since 1970, while the state’s population soared 70 percent during the same span. The population is projected to increase another 15.5 percent, to 8,346,845 residents, by 2050. The federal government lists 131 species in Tennessee as threatened or endangered.
