Tennessee population by race
Of the 5 race categories (excluding ethnicity) identified by the Census Bureau, namely American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander and White; Tennessee has a population in all of the race categories.
This confirms that Tennessee's population has become increasingly diverse.
The percent distribution of Tennessee population by race (across all racial categories recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau): 75.78% are White, 16.48% are Black or African American, 0.22% are American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.83% are Asian, 0.06% are Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 1.81% are some other race and 3.81% are multiracial.
Tennessee's racial breakdown clearly shows that there is an absolute majority (i.e. more than 50% of the population belong to one particular race) of White population in the state.
As per the latest data estimates from American Community Survey's 5-year estimates:
1. The largest racial group in Tennessee is White with a population of 5.20 million (75.78% of the total population).
2. The multiracial population, i.e. population that identify themselves with two or more races, is 261,593 (3.81% of the total population).
Racial / Ethnic makeup of Tennessee
By ethnicity, 395,967 (5.77% of the total population) is Hispanic or Latino (of any race), and 6.46 million (94.23% of the total population) is Non-Hispanic.
Of the Non-Hispanic population in Tennessee, the largest racial group is White alone with a population of 5.00 million (77.40% of the total Non-Hispanic population).
Tennessee Non-Hispanic population by race
The distribution of the Non-Hispanic population across various race categories
| Race | Population | % of Total Non-Hispanic Population |
|---|---|---|
| White alone | 5,002,855 | 77.40% |
| Black or African American alone | 1,120,548 | 17.34% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone | 10,292 | 0.16% |
| Asian alone | 124,495 | 1.93% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone | 3,518 | 0.05% |
| Some other race alone | 19,258 | 0.30% |
| Two or more races (multiracial) | 182,564 | 2.82% |
Among the Hispanic population in Tennessee, regardless of the race, the largest group is of Mexican origin, with a population of 228,525 (57.71% of the total Hispanic population).
Tennessee Hispanic or Latino population
The distribution of the Hispanic or Latino population by their ancestries
| Origin | Population | % of Total Hispanic Population |
|---|---|---|
| Mexican | 228,525 | 57.71% |
| Puerto Rican | 34,421 | 8.69% |
| Cuban | 13,799 | 3.48% |
| Other Hispanic or Latino | 119,222 | 30.11% |