Tennessee
Which Tennessee cities grew the most? See how population shifted according to the U.S. Census
How Oracle, private development will impacting Nashville’s East Bank
The catalyst for the East Bank’s growth was Oracle Corp.’s decision to buy 70 acres on the riverfront for what will become their global headquarters.
New information from the U.S. Census Bureau highlights how Tennessee’s population shifted between 2022 and 2023.
According to the data, between July 2022 and July 2023 Tennessee saw a 1.1% change in population.
The Middle Tennessee area saw the biggest increases with Clarksville and Spring Hill each seeing spikes of more than 2%. Surrounding areas also saw population increases including Murfreesboro, up by 1.9%, Smyrna, up by 1.6% and Franklin, up by 1.3%.
The Nashville and Davidson County area saw a 0.8% increase, going from 682,130 residents to 687,788.
In 2023, the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area (which includes Davidson, Murfreesboro and Franklin) increased by approximately 86 people a day, said the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce in March. The rise in population occurred through natural population changes as well as more people coming from other parts of the country.
“We are thrilled to see the Nashville MSA continue to add to its population,” Jeff Hite, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce chief economic development officer, said in a news release back in March. “Job creators are pursuing talent, and Nashville has perfected the trifecta of attracting, growing, and retaining talent to our region.
“The population growth data, specifically the in-migration numbers, show that Nashville is a coveted destination for many people across the nation for its livability and quality of life,” he added.
Here’s a look at how population grew and fell in Tennessee cities from July 2022 to July 2023.
Which Tennessee cities grew the most in population in 2023
- Chattanooga: 1.6% increase (184,038 to 187,030)
- Clarksville: 2.2% increase (176,747 to 180,716)
- Franklin: 1.3% increase (87,421 to 88,558)
- Hendersonville: 1.0% increase (62,966 to 63,618)
- Johnson City: 1.1% increase (72,515 to 73,337)
- Kingsport: 1.0% increase (56,115 to 56,704)
- Knoxville: 0.7% increase (196,748 to 198,162)
- Murfreesboro: 1.9% increase (162,402 to 165,430)
- Nashville/Davidson County 0.8% increase (682,130 to 687,788)
- Smyrna 1.6% increase (56,516 to 67,148)
- Spring Hill 2.9% increase (56,006 to 57, 637)
Which Tennessee cities saw a drop in population in 2023
- Bartlett -0.8% decrease (56,502 to 56,030)
- Collierville -0.1% decrease (51,348 to 51,317)
- Jackson -0.1 decrease (68,305 to 68, 264)
- Memphis -0.8% decrease (623,840 to 618,639)
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana
ESPN projects Tennessee basketball’s Felix Okpara and Ja’Kobi Gillespie to be picked back to back in the second round of the NBA Draft on Wednesday night. ESPN’s updated mock draft has Okpara at No. 41 overall to the Miami Heat and Gillespie at No. 42 to the San Antonio Spurs.
Nate Ament was the No. 13 overall pick in the first round to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. Tennessee, which has now had players picked in six straight NBA Drafts, could have three players drafted for just the second time in the modern era of the draft, since it went to two rounds in 1989.
Grant Williams was a first-round pick in 2019, ahead of Admiral Schofield and Jordan Bone being picked in the second round.
Where ESPN ranks Felix Okpara, Ja’Kobi Gillespie in NBA Draft
Entering the second round, ESPN has Okpara ranked as the 12th-best player available in the draft. Gillespie is ranked No. 14.
Duke guard Isaiah Evans is ESPN’s No. 1 prospect to start the second round, ahead of North Carolina center Henri Veesaar, Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas, Cincinnati forward Baba Miller, Louisville guard Ryan Conwell and German guard Jack Kayil.
Also ranked ahead of Okpara is BYU guard Richie Saunders, Houston guard Emanuel Sharp, Purdue guard Braden Smith, St. John’s forward Dillon Mitchell and Arkansas forward Trevon Brazile. Ranked between Okpara and Gillespie is Arizona guard Jaden Bradley.
Felix Okpara ‘played his way into the two-way contract mix’
Okpara averaged 8.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 26.9 minutes per game this season, starting 34 of 35 games. He shot 59.7% from the field, 61.1% on 2-point shots and 63.5% at the foul line.
He played two seasons at Ohio State before transferring to Tennessee and anchoring the Vols on defense, serving as the rim protector defensively and a rim runner on offense.
Okpara had the fourth-highest standing reach at the NBA Draft Combine in May at 9-foot-4. He was measured at 6-foot-10 without shoes, weighed 237.4 pounds and had a 7-2 wingspan.
“Okpara had a good predraft process,” ESPN wrote, “and played his way into the two-way contract mix as a dependable big man who chips in a little bit of value on both ends.”
Ja’Kobi Gillespie ‘profiles as a potential bench option’ in NBA
Gillespie averaged 18.4 points, 5.4 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 34.8 minutes per game while starting all 37 games in his one and only season at Tennessee.
The Greeneville, Tenn., native started his career with two seasons at Belmont, then transferred to Maryland before his homecoming with the Vols as a senior last season.
“After starting his college career at Belmont,” ESPN wrote on Wednesday, “Gillespie had good years at Maryland and Tennessee while playing his way into the NBA picture. He profiles as a potential bench option if his scoring ability can outweigh his size concerns.”
Nate Ament on Tuesday night became Tennessee basketball’s highest NBA Draft pick since Marcus Haislip in 2002 when Ament, the former one-and-done five-star freshman wing for the Vols, was the No. 13 overall pick in the first round when he was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Haislip also was taken No. 13 by the Bucks.
Ament is the 13th first-round pick in Tennessee program history and the fifth under Rick Barnes. Dalton Knecht was the No. 17 overall pick to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2024, Grant Williams was the No. 22 overall pick to the Boston Celtics in 2019 and both Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer were first-round picks in 2021, with Johnson at No. 21 to the Los Angeles Clippers and Springer at No. 28 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Vols have had three players in program history picked in the top 10, but none since 1983.
Tennessee in the NBA Draft’s 1st Round
| Pick | Player | Draft Year | Team |
| No. 4 | Tom Boerwinkle | 1968 | Chicago Bulls |
| No. 7 | Bernard King | 1977 | New York Nets |
| No. 9 | Dale Ellis | 1983 | Dallas Mavericks |
| No. 11 | Ernie Grunfeld | 1977 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| No. 11 | Allan Houston | 1993 | Detroit Pistons |
| No. 13 | Marcus Haislip | 2002 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| No. 15 | Reggie Johnson | 1980 | San Antonio Spurs |
| No. 17 | Dalton Knecht | 2024 | LA Lakers |
| No. 19 | Tobias Harris | 2011 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| No. 21 | Keon Johnson | 2021 | LA Clippers |
| No. 22 | Grant Williams | 2019 | Boston Celtics |
| No. 28 | Jaden Springer | 2021 | Philadelphia 76ers |
Nate Ament was ranked as a top-10 prospect in the NBA Draft
Ament entered draft week ranked as both a top-10 prospect in the draft and a projected top-10 pick.
He moved up one spot in ESPN’s final NBA mock draft on Monday, going from No. 10 to the Milwaukee Bucks to No. 9 to the Dallas Mavericks. He was No. 9 overall on ESPN’s ranking of the best players available entering the draft.
“The Nets at No. 6 are seen as the high end,” Woo wrote, “but scenarios are also in play in which he falls into the second half of the lottery. Teams say he has been selective about scheduling workouts, declining to visit multiple teams in the top 10.
“The Mavericks and Bucks are two possible landing spots. If those teams go a different direction, he could slide.”
Nate Ament’s one-and-done season at Tennessee
Ament averaged 16.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 35 games during his lone season with the Vols. He started in all 35 games he played and averaged 29.7 minutes per game while shooting 39.9% from the field and 33.3% from the 3-point line.
He was the No. 3 overall player in the 2025 class in the On3 recruiting rankings and was the No. 2 small forward in the country and the No. 1 overall player in the state of Virginia.
Ament is the highest-ranked prospect that Rick Barnes has added during his tenure at Tennessee and is believed to one of the highest-ranked recruits to sign with the Vols, alongside Tobias Harris and Allan Houston.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Chattanooga baseball fans got a different kind of scouting report during a recent night at AT&T Field, where the Tennessee Aquarium teamed up with the Chattanooga Lookouts to connect sports with conservation.
The partnership, billed as Conservation Night, brought the Aquarium’s “Animal Athletes” program to the ballpark to teach fans about wildlife and the importance of keeping trash out of waterways.
The event included live animals, interactive games and hands-on activities that highlighted how animals use specialized skills in nature.
“We know that they are here and they are passionate about sports, so let’s get them passionate about nature as well,” said Shawn Brim, community program supervisor at the Tennessee Aquarium.
Visitors learned about animals including tiger salamanders and leopard geckos, while also taking part in challenges inspired by animal behavior.
Brim said the goal was to make conservation approachable by meeting people where they are.
“The primary goal of this event is to connect people with nature, plain and simple. Here we are connecting the sports world to the animal world, highlighting those animal athletes and those special skills in nature.”
Aquarium leaders say they hope a fun experience at a game can lead to lasting conservation habits.
“We’re looking to just spark that curiosity to hopefully spark that change down the road,” Brim said.
Brim said that change matters as environmental challenges continue to affect the Tennessee Valley, with pollution and microplastics among the major concerns for local waterways and wildlife.
“As plastics enter water streams, they end up in tiny pieces, and they do end up in the stomachs of freshwater animals like catfish and sturgeons,” Brim said.
Organizers emphasized that protecting rivers and ecosystems benefits more than wildlife, supporting cleaner water, healthier communities and a stronger quality of life across the region. They also said conservation efforts can start small.
“Figure out where you can have the most impact and where you can have a consistent impact from where you are,” Brim said.
Aquarium staff say they hope fans left with more than memories of the game, taking home a deeper appreciation for the animals and ecosystems that call Tennessee home.
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