RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 95 SHOWN OF 95

Most sparsely populated, Tennessee counties · 1990

Tennessee counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 95 counties in Tennessee that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

Flip the list · Most densely populated, US counties →

TennesseeAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most densely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Perry County, TNTN9,12616−13%

02Van Buren County, TNTN6,87418−12%

03Wayne County, TNTN16,41619−17%

04Stewart County, TNTN14,43921−23%

05Bledsoe County, TNTN15,92024−22%

06Hickman County, TNTN26,21927−25%

07Pickett County, TNTN5,21928−8%

08Fentress County, TNTN20,32229−12%

09Humphreys County, TNTN19,64630−12%

10Jackson County, TNTN12,46630−15%

11Hancock County, TNTN7,07530−1%

12Clay County, TNTN7,82131−9%

13Decatur County, TNTN11,82031−11%

14Polk County, TNTN18,59231−15%

15Lewis County, TNTN13,48733−19%

16Morgan County, TNTN22,16033−12%

17Sequatchie County, TNTN17,86133−22%

18Scott County, TNTN22,67134−13%

19Hardeman County, TNTN25,27435−17%

20Houston County, TNTN8,47935−13%

21Fayette County, TNTN45,07136−11%

22Haywood County, TNTN17,04236−2%

23Moore County, TNTN6,92037−18%

24Benton County, TNTN16,18337−12%

25Grundy County, TNTN14,11637−7%

26Hardin County, TNTN27,98339−12%

27Cannon County, TNTN15,29639−18%

28McNairy County, TNTN26,23640−9%

29Overton County, TNTN23,78741−12%

30Meigs County, TNTN14,18641−28%

31Henderson County, TNTN28,51842−14%

32Giles County, TNTN31,43342−13%

33Lake County, TNTN6,24943−10%

34Chester County, TNTN17,99445−18%

35Smith County, TNTN20,98145−20%

36Carroll County, TNTN29,20046−7%

37Johnson County, TNTN18,71846−21%

38DeKalb County, TNTN21,87347−18%

39Monroe County, TNTN49,73048−22%

40Lincoln County, TNTN36,85349−10%

41Henry County, TNTN32,89650−10%

42Lauderdale County, TNTN24,61750−13%

43Marion County, TNTN29,80450−10%

44Crockett County, TNTN14,00650−8%

45Cumberland County, TNTN66,30051−26%

46Trousdale County, TNTN12,62352−18%

47Macon County, TNTN27,66352−22%

48White County, TNTN29,61253−13%

49Weakley County, TNTN33,26155−8%

50Lawrence County, TNTN46,91457−12%

51Marshall County, TNTN38,07157−20%

52Obion County, TNTN30,06758−2%

53Claiborne County, TNTN33,22960−12%

54Grainger County, TNTN25,73961−17%

55Union County, TNTN21,45061−23%

56Franklin County, TNTN45,57963−12%

57Bedford County, TNTN55,27364−19%

58Cocke County, TNTN37,88967−13%

59Dyer County, TNTN36,32068−7%

60Dickson County, TNTN58,66272−19%

61Campbell County, TNTN40,29073−12%

62Warren County, TNTN43,71776−14%

63Gibson County, TNTN51,77977−4%

64Rhea County, TNTN34,84477−14%

65Tipton County, TNTN62,28782−27%

66Sevier County, TNTN101,34286−28%

67Robertson County, TNTN80,17587−24%

68Unicoi County, TNTN17,85689−6%

69Maury County, TNTN118,13189−21%

70Cheatham County, TNTN42,77890−24%

71Greene County, TNTN73,83190−11%

72Hawkins County, TNTN59,55991−17%

73Coffee County, TNTN62,41994−16%

74McMinn County, TNTN57,40499−14%

75Wilson County, TNTN175,033119−24%

76Jefferson County, TNTN60,024120−25%

77Putnam County, TNTN86,612128−18%

78Roane County, TNTN57,395131−9%

79Loudon County, TNTN63,764136−20%

80Williamson County, TNTN272,061139−36%

81Madison County, TNTN100,790140−15%

82Carter County, TNTN57,361151−9%

83Blount County, TNTN143,820154−19%

84Montgomery County, TNTN249,935186−25%

85Rutherford County, TNTN386,352191−35%

86Sumner County, TNTN215,538195−21%

87Anderson County, TNTN82,066202−4%

88Bradley County, TNTN115,465224−16%

89Washington County, TNTN141,199283−14%

90Hamblen County, TNTN68,843313−13%

91Sullivan County, TNTN163,759347−6%

92Hamilton County, TNTN390,833527−7%

93Knox County, TNTN511,453661−12%

94Davidson County, TNTN745,9041,015−10%

95Shelby County, TNTN910,2261,085−8%

SHOWING 1–95 OF 95

Download CSV (full list, 95 rows)

UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES