Tennessee population by race
The table below shows Tennessee's population by race.
| Race | Population | % of Total Population |
|---|---|---|
| White | 5,182,736 | 74.85% |
| Black or African American | 1,126,815 | 16.27% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 14,118 | 0.20% |
| Asian | 128,630 | 1.86% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 4,684 | 0.07% |
| Some other race | 139,938 | 2.02% |
| Two or more races (multiracial) | 326,851 | 4.72% |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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): 74.85% are white, 16.27% are Black or African American, 0.20% are American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.86% are Asian, 0.07% are Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 2.02% are some other race and 4.72% are multiracial.
FIGURE 1
Tennessee population by race.
The largest racial group in Tennessee is White with a population of 5.18 million (74.85% of the total population).
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 5.18 million (74.85% of the total population).
2. The multiracial population, i.e. population that identify themselves with two or more races , is 326,851 (4.72% of the total population).
Racial / Ethnic makeup of Tennessee
By ethnicity, 412,622 (5.96% of the total population) is Hispanic or Latino (of any race), and 6.51 million (94.04% 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 5.02 million (77.17% of the total Non-Hispanic population).
FIGURE 2
Tennessee Non-Hispanic population by race
All percentages shown below are, % of Tennessee's 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 | 5,024,964 | 77.17% |
| Black or African American alone | 1,116,871 | 17.15% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone | 8,159 | 0.13% |
| Asian alone | 127,367 | 1.96% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone | 3,173 | 0.05% |
| Some other race alone | 23,185 | 0.36% |
| Two or more races (multiracial) | 207,431 | 3.19% |
Among the Hispanic population in Tennessee, regardless of the race, the largest group is of Mexican origin, with a population of 229,620 (55.65% of the total Hispanic population).
FIGURE 3
Tennessee Hispanic or Latino population
All percentages shown below are, % of Tennessee's 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 | 229,620 | 55.65% |
| Puerto Rican | 35,627 | 8.63% |
| Cuban | 14,704 | 3.56% |
| Other Hispanic or Latino | 132,671 | 32.15% |
Things to know
What percentage of Tennessee is Hispanic?
As per the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates, 5.96% of Tennessee population is Hispanic.
Among the Hispanic population in Tennessee, regardless of the race, the largest group is of Mexican origin, with a population of 229,620 (55.65% of the total Hispanic population).
How many Black people does Tennessee have?
Tennessee has 1.13 million Black or African American population as per the estimates from the latest American Community Survey 5-Year estimates. Overall 16.27% of the total population (excluding multiracial) in Tennessee is Black.
What is the largest minority group in Tennessee?
With 94.04% of the total population, Non-Hispanics are the largest ethnic minority in Tennessee.
That being said, with a 16.27% of the total population, Black or African Americans are the largest racial minority in Tennessee.
What is the majority race in Tennessee?
With a population of 5.18 million (74.85% of the total population), Whites are the largest racial majority in Tennessee.
Black or African Americans are second largest race in Tennessee, with 16.27% of the total population.
References
- U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2018-2022 5-Year Estimates