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State Briefs

Bead program funding

State officials announce $202M in BEAD program funding

State officials have announced the approval of $202 million in state-administered federal fundings to expand broadband access throughout Tennessee. The $202 million in federal funds for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program will be matched by $200 million in matching funds by...

Aftermath I-40 NDOT

State officials expect 2027 full reopening of I-40

The section of Tennessee's Interstate 40 washed out during Hurricane Helene is expected to fully reopened in fall 2027, according to TDOT officials. The storm damage along the Pigeon River Gorge impacted parts of the interstate on both the Tennessee and North Carolina side. The Tennessee side...

Tennessee ranked fourth most tax-friendly state

Tennessee has been named the fourth most tax‑friendly states in the country by ConsumerAffairs. The consumer review platform ranked all states across five major tax categories including income, sales, and property taxes with Tennessee earning the fourth spot for its lack of income tax and generally...

Music festival

State music surveys launched for Middle Tennessee regions

Two new music surveys have been launched by state agencies to better define music ecosystems in Tennessee’s Southern Middle and Upper Cumberland regions. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), Tennessee Entertainment Commission, Tennessee Department of Tourist...

New TACIR reports address homelessness, juvenile detention

The Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) has published new reports focused on improvements that can be made to address homelessness and juvenile detention capacity. 

The TACIR report “Improving Tennessee's Continua of Care with Flexible Funding, Better Data, and...

January 2025 state revenues $27.2M above estimates

Tennessee revenues exceeded budgeted estimates for the month of January.  

Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson reported that total January tax revenues were $2.1 billion, $27.2 million more than the budgeted estimate and $87.7 million more than January 2025. The total tax...

Tennessee ranks as sixth most popular state for movers

Tennessee is the sixth most popular state for in-bound movers, according to a new survey by U.S. News and World Report. Tennessee’s low cost of living, mild weather, outdoor opportunities, affordable housing, and job growth were cited as making the state one of the most appealing. South Carolina...

Meigs County Industrial Park

Seven cities to share in state Site Development Grants

More than $13 million in state site development grants have been awarded with seven municipalities among the grantees.

Tennessee State Data Center bar graph

State Data Center: Tennessee has nation's eighth largest population increase in 2025

Tennessee’s population increase was the nation’s 8th largest last year – adding nearly 64,000 new residents and reaching a population of 7.32 million people.

Tennessee December 2025 unemployment rate

Tennessee December 2025 unemployment remains steady

Tennessee’s December 2025 unemployment rate held steady at 3.6%. The state unemployment rate has remained at 3.6% since July, though no data was recorded for October due to the government shutdown. The U.S. rate for December was 4.4%, down one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous month...

Tennessee December 2025 revenues $82.7M above estimates

Tennessee revenues exceeded budgeted estimates for the month of December with a monthly tax growth rate of 6.09%. 

Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson reported that total December tax revenues were $2 billion, $82.7 million more than the budgeted estimate and $116.5...

Waterways

TDEC unveils new water quality maps

A new map is highlighting sources of pollution in state waterways to improve water quality. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation unveiled a map that helps monitor water quality in streams, rivers, and reservoirs across the state. The map shows that 19,000 miles of the state’s 60...