Is being in an area of Tennessee that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Memphis and Knoxville, while others want peace and quiet like in Bolivar and Madisonville, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Tennessee have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Volunteer State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Tennessee For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in Tennessee for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Thompson’S Station ranks as the fastest-growing city in Tennessee. If you happen to be a resident of Thompson’S Station, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in Tennessee grow like weeds.
For more Tennessee state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Tennessee
- Cheapest Places To Live In Tennessee
- Most Dangerous Cities In Tennessee
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Tennessee For 2026
1. Thompson’s Station
/10
Population: 8,294
Population 2010: 1,946
Percent Growth 326.2%
Absolute Growth: 6,348
More on Thompson’s Station: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Nolensville
/10
Population: 15,074
Population 2010: 5,351
Percent Growth 181.7%
Absolute Growth: 9,723
More on Nolensville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Spring Hill
/10
Population: 55,765
Population 2010: 25,415
Percent Growth 119.4%
Absolute Growth: 30,350
More on Spring Hill: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Mount Juliet
/10
Population: 42,073
Population 2010: 21,922
Percent Growth 91.9%
Absolute Growth: 20,151
More on Mount Juliet: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Medina
/10
6. Lebanon
/10
Population: 44,788
Population 2010: 25,188
Percent Growth 77.8%
Absolute Growth: 19,600
More on Lebanon: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Oakland
/10
Population: 9,979
Population 2010: 5,815
Percent Growth 71.6%
Absolute Growth: 4,164
More on Oakland: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Gallatin
/10
Population: 48,532
Population 2010: 29,084
Percent Growth 66.9%
Absolute Growth: 19,448
More on Gallatin: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Murfreesboro
/10
Population: 161,445
Population 2010: 102,602
Percent Growth 57.4%
Absolute Growth: 58,843
More on Murfreesboro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Hartsville/trousdale County
/10
Population: 11,957
Population 2010: 7,751
Percent Growth 54.3%
Absolute Growth: 4,206
More on Hartsville/trousdale County: Data | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Volunteer State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 101 Tennessee cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Volunteer State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in Tennessee.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Tennessee with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Tennessee, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Tennessee are led by Thompson’S Station which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Tennessee are Thompson’s Station, Nolensville, Spring Hill, Mount Juliet, Medina, Lebanon, Oakland, Gallatin, Murfreesboro, and Hartsville/Trousdale County.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Humboldt
- Ripley
- Brownsville
For more Tennessee reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Tennessee
- Safest Places In Tennessee
- Worst Places To Live In Tennessee
Fastest Growing Places In Tennessee For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thompson’s Station | 8,294 | 1,946 | 326.2% | 6,348 |
| 2 | Nolensville | 15,074 | 5,351 | 181.7% | 9,723 |
| 3 | Spring Hill | 55,765 | 25,415 | 119.4% | 30,350 |
| 4 | Mount Juliet | 42,073 | 21,922 | 91.9% | 20,151 |
| 5 | Medina | 5,407 | 3,010 | 79.6% | 2,397 |
| 6 | Lebanon | 44,788 | 25,188 | 77.8% | 19,600 |
| 7 | Oakland | 9,979 | 5,815 | 71.6% | 4,164 |
| 8 | Gallatin | 48,532 | 29,084 | 66.9% | 19,448 |
| 9 | Murfreesboro | 161,445 | 102,602 | 57.4% | 58,843 |
| 10 | Hartsville/trousdale County | 11,957 | 7,751 | 54.3% | 4,206 |