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State Briefs

Tennessee ranks 44 out of 51 on average hourly earnings

Tennessee ranks among the lowest-earning states in the nation, according to new  data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Tennessee ranks 44 out of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., with an average hourly wage of $31.79 and an average working week of 34.7 hours, meaning the average...

TSP

Tennessee dedicates Trail of Tears State Park

Officials have dedicated Tennessee’s newest state park in Meigs County. Cherokee Trail of Tears State Park preserves and interprets the story of the Cherokee removal across the states in 1830s. Located at the confluence of the Hiwassee and Tennessee rivers near the historic Blythe Ferry Crossing...

Tennessee Population Estimates 2025

New population estimates for state-shared revenues to be published July 1

The first estimates under the state’s new annual population estimate program will be published on July 1.  

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) will publish the figures, which will be based on the estimated population as of July 1, 2025, derived from Vintage 2025...

A home under construction

Tennessee home building permits down for 2025

Housing permits issued by local governments in Tennessee were down 3.3% between 2024 and 2025, according to new data released by the Tennessee State Data Center (TNSDC). Pulling information from the Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey, TNSDC said permits for single-family homes only declined 1.8...

Unemployment

Tennessee's April 2026 unemployment rate unchanged

Tennessee's unemployment held steady at 3.6% in April 2026, the third month the state has retained the rate. While the unemployment rate was unchanged since February 2026, the year-over-year unemployment rate increased by 0.1%. The Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) said nonfarm...

Map of the Nine Lakes of East Tennessee AVA

Nine Lakes of East Tennessee is state's newest wine region

Tennessee now has a new wine region. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) announced the Nine Lakes of East Tennessee has become a federally recognized American Viticultural Area (AVA), further establishing the state as an emerging leader in the Southeast’s wine industry. Centered around...

Drive Electric

State releases updated roadmap for EV adoption in Tennessee

The new 2026 Roadmap for Electric Vehicles (EVs) in Tennessee has been released, building on progress since the initial strategy was implemented in 2019. The updated guide incorporates recent industry data and lessons learned in project implementation to clarify priorities and guide action across...

Electric freight vehicles

Tennessee outlines EV freight framework

With commercial auto fleet managers increasingly interested in adopting medium- and heavy-duty EVs for freight transport, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s (TDEC) Office of Energy Programs  has released the Tennessee Freight Electrification Framework This guide aims to...

Comptrollers

Comptroller's office unveils municipal fiscal metrics

The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has expanded its online fiscal health metrics to now include financial metrics for Tennessee’s cities, providing a more complete picture of local government finances across the state. The dashboard, available at tncot.cc/fiscalmetrics, has historically provided...

THSO announces results of 2025 seat belt survey

While seat belt usage is on the decline in Tennessee, it still exceeds the national rate. Results from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office annual roadside observational study determined a usage rate of 91.3% in 2025, a decrease of 0.9% over 2024 but still higher than the national rate of 90%. The...

Unemployment February 2026

Tennessee unemployment increases, records 9,200 job losses in February

Tennessee’s February unemployment increased slightly over the previous month but remained below the national average. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) recorded an unemployment rate of 3.6% in the state in February, up from a 3.5% recorded in January. The rate is...

Tennessee March 2026 revenues $69.2M above estimates

Tennessee revenues exceeded budgeted estimates for the month of March.  

The Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson reported that total March tax revenues were $1.7 billion, $69.2 million more than the budgeted estimate and $119.2 million more than March 2025. The total tax...