Tennessee County Area & Size Rankings

Understanding Tennessee’s county areas

The land-area range runs from Trousdale County at 114.3 mi² to Shelby County at 752.8 mi². The largest has 6.6 times the land area of the smallest and accounts for 1.8% of the combined county land in Tennessee. Compare with every state’s largest county.

The median county-equivalent land area is 436.1 mi², below the national median of 604.5 mi². The median describes the middle of the county size distribution; it does not describe how people or development are distributed. A state with a few very large counties can have a much smaller median than its largest entry suggests.

Where water changes the picture

Benton County has the most assigned water area, at 41.9 mi². Lake County has the highest water share, with water making up 14.5% of its total area. Water area and water percentage answer different questions: the first measures an amount, while the second measures the mix of land and water.

Across all 95 entries, water accounts for 2.1% of the combined total area. This is calculated from the summed land and water measurements, rather than averaging county percentages, which would give each small and large county equal weight.

Where people live

An estimated 7,315,076 people lived in Tennessee on July 1, 2025 (+5.8% since 2020), or 2.1% of the national total in this dataset. Shelby County is the most populous county equivalent, with 910,226 residents — 12.4% of the state. It is also the largest by land area.

Across the state there are 177 people per square mile of land. County densities range from 1,481 in Davidson County to 22 in Perry County; the median county equivalent has 76. Switch the map above to density to see where the state’s population concentrates.

Compare the largest and smallest county equivalents in Tennessee to see land, water, and total area on the same scale.

These calculations use the 2026 Census county records listed below. County-equivalent boundaries vary between states; area alone does not measure population, density, or usable land. See coverage and calculation rules.

#	County / equivalent	Land	Water	Water share	Population	Per mi²
1	Shelby CountyGEOID 47157	752.8 mi²	28.8 mi²	3.7%	910,226	1,209
2	Wayne CountyGEOID 47181	734.1 mi²	1.6 mi²	0.2%	16,416	22
3	Fayette CountyGEOID 47047	704.1 mi²	1.4 mi²	0.2%	45,071	64
4	Cumberland CountyGEOID 47035	681.3 mi²	3.5 mi²	0.5%	66,300	97
5	Hardeman CountyGEOID 47069	667.8 mi²	2.6 mi²	0.4%	25,274	38
6	Monroe CountyGEOID 47123	635.8 mi²	16.8 mi²	2.6%	49,730	78
7	Greene CountyGEOID 47059	622.2 mi²	2 mi²	0.3%	73,831	119
8	Rutherford CountyGEOID 47149	619.5 mi²	4.5 mi²	0.7%	386,352	624
9	Lawrence CountyGEOID 47099	617.1 mi²	0.9 mi²	0.1%	46,914	76
10	Maury CountyGEOID 47119	613.1 mi²	2.5 mi²	0.4%	118,131	193
11	Hickman CountyGEOID 47081	612.5 mi²	0.1 mi²	0%	26,219	43
12	Giles CountyGEOID 47055	610.9 mi²	0.2 mi²	0%	31,433	51
13	Gibson CountyGEOID 47053	602.7 mi²	0.9 mi²	0.1%	51,779	86
14	Carroll CountyGEOID 47017	597.7 mi²	2.4 mi²	0.4%	29,200	49
15	Sevier CountyGEOID 47155	592.5 mi²	5.2 mi²	0.9%	101,342	171
16	Williamson CountyGEOID 47187	582.9 mi²	1.2 mi²	0.2%	272,061	467
17	Weakley CountyGEOID 47183	580.4 mi²	1.4 mi²	0.2%	33,261	57
18	Hardin CountyGEOID 47071	577.5 mi²	18.8 mi²	3.2%	27,983	48
19	Wilson CountyGEOID 47189	571.1 mi²	12.5 mi²	2.1%	175,033	306
20	Lincoln CountyGEOID 47103	570.3 mi²	0.4 mi²	0.1%	36,853	65
21	McNairy CountyGEOID 47109	562.8 mi²	0.8 mi²	0.1%	26,236	47
22	Henry CountyGEOID 47079	561.9 mi²	31.5 mi²	5.3%	32,896	59
23	Blount CountyGEOID 47009	558.8 mi²	7.8 mi²	1.4%	143,820	257
24	Madison CountyGEOID 47113	557.2 mi²	1.5 mi²	0.3%	100,790	181
25	Franklin CountyGEOID 47051	554.5 mi²	21.3 mi²	3.7%	45,579	82
26	Obion CountyGEOID 47131	544.9 mi²	10.6 mi²	1.9%	30,067	55
27	Hamilton CountyGEOID 47065	542.2 mi²	33.5 mi²	5.8%	390,833	721
28	Montgomery CountyGEOID 47125	539.2 mi²	4.7 mi²	0.9%	249,935	464
29	Haywood CountyGEOID 47075	533.1 mi²	1 mi²	0.2%	17,042	32
30	Scott CountyGEOID 47151	532.3 mi²	0.9 mi²	0.2%	22,671	43
31	Humphreys CountyGEOID 47085	530.8 mi²	25.9 mi²	4.7%	19,646	37
32	Sumner CountyGEOID 47165	529.5 mi²	13.8 mi²	2.5%	215,538	407
33	Morgan CountyGEOID 47129	522.2 mi²	0.3 mi²	0.1%	22,160	42
34	Henderson CountyGEOID 47077	520 mi²	5.9 mi²	1.1%	28,518	55
35	Dyer CountyGEOID 47045	512.4 mi²	13.8 mi²	2.6%	36,320	71
36	Knox CountyGEOID 47093	508.4 mi²	17.5 mi²	3.3%	511,453	1,006
37	Davidson CountyGEOID 47037	503.5 mi²	21.8 mi²	4.1%	745,904	1,481
38	Fentress CountyGEOID 47049	498.6 mi²	0.3 mi²	0.1%	20,322	41
39	Marion CountyGEOID 47115	498.3 mi²	14.1 mi²	2.7%	29,804	60
40	Dickson CountyGEOID 47043	489.9 mi²	1.4 mi²	0.3%	58,662	120
41	Hawkins CountyGEOID 47073	487.1 mi²	12.6 mi²	2.5%	59,559	122
42	Campbell CountyGEOID 47013	480.2 mi²	17.9 mi²	3.6%	40,290	84
43	Robertson CountyGEOID 47147	476.3 mi²	0.2 mi²	0%	80,175	168
44	Bedford CountyGEOID 47003	473.6 mi²	1.2 mi²	0.2%	55,273	117
45	Lauderdale CountyGEOID 47097	471.9 mi²	31 mi²	6.2%	24,617	52
46	Stewart CountyGEOID 47161	459.8 mi²	33.2 mi²	6.7%	14,439	31
47	Tipton CountyGEOID 47167	455.6 mi²	12.6 mi²	2.7%	62,287	137
48	Cocke CountyGEOID 47029	436.1 mi²	6.9 mi²	1.6%	37,889	87
49	Claiborne CountyGEOID 47025	434.6 mi²	6.9 mi²	1.6%	33,229	76
50	Polk CountyGEOID 47139	434.6 mi²	7.7 mi²	1.7%	18,592	43
51	Overton CountyGEOID 47133	433.5 mi²	1.3 mi²	0.3%	23,787	55
52	Warren CountyGEOID 47177	432.7 mi²	1.4 mi²	0.3%	43,717	101
53	McMinn CountyGEOID 47107	430.1 mi²	2.1 mi²	0.5%	57,404	133
54	Coffee CountyGEOID 47031	429 mi²	5.6 mi²	1.3%	62,419	146
55	Perry CountyGEOID 47135	414.8 mi²	8.1 mi²	1.9%	9,126	22
56	Sullivan CountyGEOID 47163	413.5 mi²	16.2 mi²	3.8%	163,759	396
57	Bledsoe CountyGEOID 47007	406.6 mi²	0.3 mi²	0.1%	15,920	39
58	Putnam CountyGEOID 47141	401.1 mi²	1.5 mi²	0.4%	86,612	216
59	Benton CountyGEOID 47005	394.3 mi²	41.9 mi²	9.6%	16,183	41
60	White CountyGEOID 47185	376.7 mi²	2.7 mi²	0.7%	29,612	79
61	Marshall CountyGEOID 47117	375.5 mi²	0.7 mi²	0.2%	38,071	101
62	Roane CountyGEOID 47145	360.8 mi²	34.2 mi²	8.7%	57,395	159
63	Grundy CountyGEOID 47061	360.4 mi²	0.7 mi²	0.2%	14,116	39
64	Carter CountyGEOID 47019	341.3 mi²	6.4 mi²	1.8%	57,361	168
65	Anderson CountyGEOID 47001	337.2 mi²	7.6 mi²	2.2%	82,066	243
66	Decatur CountyGEOID 47039	333.9 mi²	11 mi²	3.2%	11,820	35
67	Bradley CountyGEOID 47011	328.8 mi²	2.7 mi²	0.8%	115,465	351
68	Washington CountyGEOID 47179	326.5 mi²	3.3 mi²	1%	141,199	432
69	Rhea CountyGEOID 47143	315.5 mi²	21 mi²	6.2%	34,844	110
70	Smith CountyGEOID 47159	314.3 mi²	11.1 mi²	3.4%	20,981	67
71	Jackson CountyGEOID 47087	308.8 mi²	10.7 mi²	3.4%	12,466	40
72	Macon CountyGEOID 47111	307.1 mi²	0.1 mi²	0%	27,663	90
73	DeKalb CountyGEOID 47041	304.4 mi²	24.6 mi²	7.5%	21,873	72
74	Cheatham CountyGEOID 47021	302.5 mi²	4.6 mi²	1.5%	42,778	141
75	Johnson CountyGEOID 47091	298.4 mi²	4.3 mi²	1.4%	18,718	63
76	Chester CountyGEOID 47023	285.7 mi²	0.2 mi²	0.1%	17,994	63
77	Lewis CountyGEOID 47101	282.1 mi²	0.4 mi²	0.1%	13,487	48
78	Grainger CountyGEOID 47057	280.6 mi²	21.9 mi²	7.2%	25,739	92
79	Jefferson CountyGEOID 47089	275.2 mi²	39.2 mi²	12.5%	60,024	218
80	Van Buren CountyGEOID 47175	273.4 mi²	1.1 mi²	0.4%	6,874	25
81	Sequatchie CountyGEOID 47153	265.9 mi²	0.2 mi²	0.1%	17,861	67
82	Cannon CountyGEOID 47015	265.6 mi²	0.1 mi²	0%	15,296	58
83	Crockett CountyGEOID 47033	265.5 mi²	0.2 mi²	0.1%	14,006	53
84	Clay CountyGEOID 47027	236.5 mi²	22.8 mi²	8.8%	7,821	33
85	Loudon CountyGEOID 47105	229.3 mi²	18.1 mi²	7.3%	63,764	278
86	Union CountyGEOID 47173	223.6 mi²	23.6 mi²	9.5%	21,450	96
87	Hancock CountyGEOID 47067	222.3 mi²	1.2 mi²	0.5%	7,075	32
88	Houston CountyGEOID 47083	200.3 mi²	6.7 mi²	3.2%	8,479	42
89	Meigs CountyGEOID 47121	195.1 mi²	21.5 mi²	9.9%	14,186	73
90	Unicoi CountyGEOID 47171	186.1 mi²	0.3 mi²	0.2%	17,856	96
91	Lake CountyGEOID 47095	165.8 mi²	28.1 mi²	14.5%	6,249	38
92	Pickett CountyGEOID 47137	163 mi²	11.5 mi²	6.6%	5,219	32
93	Hamblen CountyGEOID 47063	161.2 mi²	14.6 mi²	8.3%	68,843	427
94	Moore CountyGEOID 47127	129.2 mi²	1.2 mi²	0.9%	6,920	54
95	Trousdale CountyGEOID 47169	114.3 mi²	2.3 mi²	2%	12,623	110

County / equivalent

Land

Water

Water share

Population

Per mi²

Shelby CountyGEOID 47157

752.8 mi²

28.8 mi²

3.7%

910,226

1,209

Wayne CountyGEOID 47181

734.1 mi²

1.6 mi²

0.2%

16,416

Fayette CountyGEOID 47047

704.1 mi²

1.4 mi²

0.2%

45,071

Cumberland CountyGEOID 47035

681.3 mi²

3.5 mi²

0.5%

66,300

Hardeman CountyGEOID 47069

667.8 mi²

2.6 mi²

0.4%

25,274

Monroe CountyGEOID 47123

635.8 mi²

16.8 mi²

2.6%

49,730

Greene CountyGEOID 47059

622.2 mi²

2 mi²

0.3%

73,831

119

Rutherford CountyGEOID 47149

619.5 mi²

4.5 mi²

0.7%

386,352

624

Lawrence CountyGEOID 47099

617.1 mi²

0.9 mi²

0.1%

46,914

Maury CountyGEOID 47119

613.1 mi²

2.5 mi²

0.4%

118,131

193

Hickman CountyGEOID 47081

612.5 mi²

0.1 mi²

26,219

Giles CountyGEOID 47055

610.9 mi²

0.2 mi²

31,433

Gibson CountyGEOID 47053

602.7 mi²

0.9 mi²

0.1%

51,779

Carroll CountyGEOID 47017

597.7 mi²

2.4 mi²

0.4%

29,200

Sevier CountyGEOID 47155

592.5 mi²

5.2 mi²

0.9%

101,342

171

Williamson CountyGEOID 47187

582.9 mi²

1.2 mi²

0.2%

272,061

467

Weakley CountyGEOID 47183

580.4 mi²

1.4 mi²

0.2%

33,261

Hardin CountyGEOID 47071

577.5 mi²

18.8 mi²

3.2%

27,983

Wilson CountyGEOID 47189

571.1 mi²

12.5 mi²

2.1%

175,033

306

Lincoln CountyGEOID 47103

570.3 mi²

0.4 mi²

0.1%

36,853

McNairy CountyGEOID 47109

562.8 mi²

0.8 mi²

0.1%

26,236

Henry CountyGEOID 47079

561.9 mi²

31.5 mi²

5.3%

32,896

Blount CountyGEOID 47009

558.8 mi²

7.8 mi²

1.4%

143,820

257

Madison CountyGEOID 47113

557.2 mi²

1.5 mi²

0.3%

100,790

181

Franklin CountyGEOID 47051

554.5 mi²

21.3 mi²

3.7%

45,579

Obion CountyGEOID 47131

544.9 mi²

10.6 mi²

1.9%

30,067

Hamilton CountyGEOID 47065

542.2 mi²

33.5 mi²

5.8%

390,833

721

Montgomery CountyGEOID 47125

539.2 mi²

4.7 mi²

0.9%

249,935

464

Haywood CountyGEOID 47075

533.1 mi²

1 mi²

0.2%

17,042

Scott CountyGEOID 47151

532.3 mi²

0.9 mi²

0.2%

22,671

Humphreys CountyGEOID 47085

530.8 mi²

25.9 mi²

4.7%

19,646

Sumner CountyGEOID 47165

529.5 mi²

13.8 mi²

2.5%

215,538

407

Morgan CountyGEOID 47129

522.2 mi²

0.3 mi²

0.1%

22,160

Henderson CountyGEOID 47077

520 mi²

5.9 mi²

1.1%

28,518

Dyer CountyGEOID 47045

512.4 mi²

13.8 mi²

2.6%

36,320

Knox CountyGEOID 47093

508.4 mi²

17.5 mi²

3.3%

511,453

1,006

Davidson CountyGEOID 47037

503.5 mi²

21.8 mi²

4.1%

745,904

1,481

Fentress CountyGEOID 47049

498.6 mi²

0.3 mi²

0.1%

20,322

Marion CountyGEOID 47115

498.3 mi²

14.1 mi²

2.7%

29,804

Dickson CountyGEOID 47043

489.9 mi²

1.4 mi²

0.3%

58,662

120

Hawkins CountyGEOID 47073

487.1 mi²

12.6 mi²

2.5%

59,559

122

Campbell CountyGEOID 47013

480.2 mi²

17.9 mi²

3.6%

40,290

Robertson CountyGEOID 47147

476.3 mi²

0.2 mi²

80,175

168

Bedford CountyGEOID 47003

473.6 mi²

1.2 mi²

0.2%

55,273

117

Lauderdale CountyGEOID 47097

471.9 mi²

31 mi²

6.2%

24,617

Stewart CountyGEOID 47161

459.8 mi²

33.2 mi²

6.7%

14,439

Tipton CountyGEOID 47167

455.6 mi²

12.6 mi²

2.7%

62,287

137

Cocke CountyGEOID 47029

436.1 mi²

6.9 mi²

1.6%

37,889

Claiborne CountyGEOID 47025

434.6 mi²

6.9 mi²

1.6%

33,229

Polk CountyGEOID 47139

434.6 mi²

7.7 mi²

1.7%

18,592

Overton CountyGEOID 47133

433.5 mi²

1.3 mi²

0.3%

23,787

Warren CountyGEOID 47177

432.7 mi²

1.4 mi²

0.3%

43,717

101

McMinn CountyGEOID 47107

430.1 mi²

2.1 mi²

0.5%

57,404

133

Coffee CountyGEOID 47031

429 mi²

5.6 mi²

1.3%

62,419

146

Perry CountyGEOID 47135

414.8 mi²

8.1 mi²

1.9%

9,126

Sullivan CountyGEOID 47163

413.5 mi²

16.2 mi²

3.8%

163,759

396

Bledsoe CountyGEOID 47007

406.6 mi²

0.3 mi²

0.1%

15,920

Putnam CountyGEOID 47141

401.1 mi²

1.5 mi²

0.4%

86,612

216

Benton CountyGEOID 47005

394.3 mi²

41.9 mi²

9.6%

16,183

White CountyGEOID 47185

376.7 mi²

2.7 mi²

0.7%

29,612

Marshall CountyGEOID 47117

375.5 mi²

0.7 mi²

0.2%

38,071

101

Roane CountyGEOID 47145

360.8 mi²

34.2 mi²

8.7%

57,395

159

Grundy CountyGEOID 47061

360.4 mi²

0.7 mi²

0.2%

14,116

Carter CountyGEOID 47019

341.3 mi²

6.4 mi²

1.8%

57,361

168

Anderson CountyGEOID 47001

337.2 mi²

7.6 mi²

2.2%

82,066

243

Decatur CountyGEOID 47039

333.9 mi²

11 mi²

3.2%

11,820

Bradley CountyGEOID 47011

328.8 mi²

2.7 mi²

0.8%

115,465

351

Washington CountyGEOID 47179

326.5 mi²

3.3 mi²

141,199

432

Rhea CountyGEOID 47143

315.5 mi²

21 mi²

6.2%

34,844

110

Smith CountyGEOID 47159

314.3 mi²

11.1 mi²

3.4%

20,981

Jackson CountyGEOID 47087

308.8 mi²

10.7 mi²

3.4%

12,466

Macon CountyGEOID 47111

307.1 mi²

0.1 mi²

27,663

DeKalb CountyGEOID 47041

304.4 mi²

24.6 mi²

7.5%

21,873

Cheatham CountyGEOID 47021

302.5 mi²

4.6 mi²

1.5%

42,778

141

Johnson CountyGEOID 47091

298.4 mi²

4.3 mi²

1.4%

18,718

Chester CountyGEOID 47023

285.7 mi²

0.2 mi²

0.1%

17,994

Lewis CountyGEOID 47101

282.1 mi²

0.4 mi²

0.1%

13,487

Grainger CountyGEOID 47057

280.6 mi²

21.9 mi²

7.2%

25,739

Jefferson CountyGEOID 47089

275.2 mi²

39.2 mi²

12.5%

60,024

218

Van Buren CountyGEOID 47175

273.4 mi²

1.1 mi²

0.4%

6,874

Sequatchie CountyGEOID 47153

265.9 mi²

0.2 mi²

0.1%

17,861

Cannon CountyGEOID 47015

265.6 mi²

0.1 mi²

15,296

Crockett CountyGEOID 47033

265.5 mi²

0.2 mi²

0.1%

14,006

Clay CountyGEOID 47027

236.5 mi²

22.8 mi²

8.8%

7,821

Loudon CountyGEOID 47105

229.3 mi²

18.1 mi²

7.3%

63,764

278

Union CountyGEOID 47173

223.6 mi²

23.6 mi²

9.5%

21,450

Hancock CountyGEOID 47067

222.3 mi²

1.2 mi²

0.5%

7,075

Houston CountyGEOID 47083

200.3 mi²

6.7 mi²

3.2%

8,479

Meigs CountyGEOID 47121

195.1 mi²

21.5 mi²

9.9%

14,186

Unicoi CountyGEOID 47171

186.1 mi²

0.3 mi²

0.2%

17,856

Lake CountyGEOID 47095

165.8 mi²

28.1 mi²

14.5%

6,249

Pickett CountyGEOID 47137

163 mi²

11.5 mi²

6.6%

5,219

Hamblen CountyGEOID 47063

161.2 mi²

14.6 mi²

8.3%

68,843

427

Moore CountyGEOID 47127

129.2 mi²

1.2 mi²

0.9%

6,920

Trousdale CountyGEOID 47169

114.3 mi²

2.3 mi²

12,623

110

Tennessee counties by area

Understanding Tennessee’s county areas

Where water changes the picture

Where people live

Complete area table