Volunteer State News

Tennessee's population leaned heavily towards the 25 to 29 years demographic, according to U.S. Census Bureau data obtained by Volunteer State News.

There were 482,422 individuals or 7.0% of the population falling within this age bracket.

The state registered a median age of 39, outpacing the national average of 38 in 2021.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee | facebook.com/GovBillLee/

Data also showed that women had a longer life expectancy than men, with 1.1% of women population over the age of 84 in comparison to 0.6% of men. To provide a broader perspective, the U.S. recorded 1.2% of women in the same age bracket nationwide.

According to the 2021 census, the median age varied across different ethnicities in the state. The average white resident in Tennessee is 42 years old, while African Americans have a median age of 34 years old. The Asian population averages 35 years old, and Hispanics had an average of 24 years old.

Tennessee's total population stood at 6,859,497 individuals in 2021.

OurWorldinData.org, an online project tracking global data and trends, says cities, states, countries and continents with higher median ages typically do better economically and residents earn higher wages than developing countries.

The median age of a United States resident has risen from 29.5-years-old in 1960 to 38.4-years-old in 2019. It has risen fairly consistently by two years every decade since the 1970’s.

An agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, the Census Bureau is responsible for compiling statistical facts about the American people, places and economy. Data for this story was compiled from the bureau’s American Community Survey. Information from the survey helps to determine how federal and state funds are distributed. These funds significantly influence community services, education, and infrastructure in areas like Tennessee.

Age	Estimated Number	% of Overall Population
Under 5 years	405,867	5.9%
5 to 9 years	415,626	6.1%
10 to 14 years	447,531	6.5%
15 to 17 years	265,219	3.9%
18 and 19 years	173,071	2.5%
20 years	93,763	1.4%
21 years	91,562	1.3%
22 to 24 years	258,378	3.8%
25 to 29 years	482,422	7%
30 to 34 years	454,732	6.6%
35 to 39 years	444,180	6.5%
40 to 44 years	418,807	6.1%
45 to 49 years	439,227	6.4%
50 to 54 years	446,394	6.5%
55 to 59 years	458,189	6.7%
60 and 61 years	184,389	2.7%
62 to 64 years	261,950	3.8%
65 and 66 years	157,418	2.3%
67 to 69 years	220,631	3.2%
70 to 74 years	305,157	4.4%
75 to 79 years	198,315	2.9%
80 to 84 years	126,011	1.8%
85 years and over	110,658	1.6%

Source: US Census Bureau