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State Briefs

Sycamore Institute community photo

Tennessee sees larger than average inflation in cost of basic needs, income

Approximately 41% of Tennessee households struggled to afford basic needs in 2024, according to a new report on affordability in the state from the Sycamore Institute. The non-partisan public policy research center recently published the report looking on financial affordability and hardships in...

People walking

Tennessee one of nation's fastest growing states

Tennessee had the tenth fastest-growing population in the nation between 2024 and 2025, according to a new SmartAsset study Using U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the study found Tennessee’s population increased by 0.88%, adding nearly 64,000 residents year-over-year. South Carolina was the topped rank...

Tennessee State Capitol

Sycamore Institute report expresses concern about state transportation, lottery scholarship funding

The Sycamore Institute's annual State Budget Primer is highlighting what the organization considers “structural deficits” in the Tennessee budget related to transportation funding and lottery-funded scholarships. The report from the nonpartisan research organization listed the concerns under a new...

Tennessee children statistics

Tennessee falls in annual state rankings of child wellbeing

Tennessee fell in annual rankings for education, economic-wellbeing and over-all wellbeing for children in 2025. The Annie E. Casey Foundation released its study ranking states on a variety of child wellbeing measures. Tennessee ranked 37 in overall wellbeing and 42 in economic wellbeing. While...

Tennessee Mountain

Tourism generated $32.5B in Tennessee economy in 2025

Tennessee’s tourism economy increased by 2.7% year-over-year and generated $32.5 billion in direct visitor spending in 2025, according to a recent reported by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. Other highlights from the report found Tennessee saw 150 million visitors in 2025 with $89...