
Tennessee State Flower - Iris
The area of Tennessee was originally part of North Carolina. North Carolina ceded the area of Tennessee in 1790 to the United States, and this area was organized as the “territory . . . south of the Ohio River” on April 12, 1790. Tennessee was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796, as the 16th state. Upon resolution of a boundary dispute with Kentucky in 1820, Tennessee assumed generally the same boundary as the present state.
Census data for Tennessee are available separately beginning with the 1790 census. The 1790 population shown for Tennessee is for the Southwest Territory, which generally had the present state boundary.
Data for the legally established state of Tennessee are available beginning with the 1800 census.
See: Geographic Terms & Concepts
Counties & County Equivalents
Interactive Map of Tennessee Counties | Static Overview Map of Tennessee Counties
There are 95 counties in Tennessee. Hartsville-Trousdale County is a consolidated county/city government with a legal description of “Government” and has one set of government officials. Lynchburg, Moore County is a consolidated county/city government with a legal description of “Metropolitan Government” and has one set of government officials. Nashville-Davidson is a consolidated city with a legal description of “Metropolitan Government.” The remaining 92 counties are each governed by a county legislature.
County Subdivisions
There are 844 county subdivisions in Tennessee. Beginning with the 2010 Census the state of Tennessee is using the county commissioner districts as minor civil divisions (MCDs). The county commissioner districts are nonfunctioning nongovernmental subdivisions of counties. From the 1960 census until Census 2000 each of Tennessee’s counties had between 1 and 12 census county divisions (CCDs) depending on the size and extent of urbanization of the county. Prior to 1960, the minor civil divisions used in the census were civil districts.
Places (Incorporated Cities, Towns & Census Designated Places (CDPs))

Tennessee State Bird - Mockingbird
Tennessee has 428 places, 347 incorporated places and 81 census designated places (CDPs). The incorporated places consist of 182 cities, 162 towns, 1 metropolitan government, 1 with no descriptor, and 1 balance of county for the portion of Nashville-Davidson consolidated city outside the separately incorporated places in Davidson County. The minimum population for incorporation in Tennessee is 1,500. Incorporated places are dependent within county subdivision. Hartsville-Trousdale is coextensive with Trousdale County, Lynchburg-Moore County is coextensive with Moore County, and Nashville-Davidson is coextensive with Davidson County.
Tennessee has one consolidated city, Nashville-Davidson, which is coextensive with Davidson County. Nashville-Davidson contains the separately incorporated places of Belle Meade, Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Lakewood, and Oak Hill cities, and the part of Goodlettsville city and the part of Ridgetop town in Davidson County.
Alphabetical List of Cities, Towns, CDPs and Other Populated Places
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q, R | S | T | U, V | W, X, Y, Z
Tennessee Civil Features
Tennessee Civil Features: Political Subdivisions, Native Areas, Land Grants, etc. - sorted by Census Class Codes.
Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas
There are 7 Metropolitan and 17 Micropolitan Statistical Areas in Tennessee. TN Metopolitan & Micropolitan Areas
Tennessee ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
There are 631 ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) in Tennessee. View Tennessee ZIP Codes and ZIP Code Maps.
School Districts
There are 16 elementary school districts, 16 secondary school districts, and 120 unified school districts in Tennessee. The Department of Defense runs one school district in Tennessee. View Tennessee Public and Private Schools.
Congressional Districts
Tennessee has 9 congressional districts. An interactive map shows the contact information for each Representative as well as the boundaries for each Tennessee district. View Map of Tennessee Congressional Districts.
State Legislative Districts
There are 33 state senate districts and 99 state house districts in Tennessee.