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State Briefs

Population estimates

First Certified Population Reports now available

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) has released the 2026 Certified Population of Tennessee Incorporated Municipalities and Counties. 

Patriot Paths

Patriot Paths showcases Tennessee's Revolutionary history

The Tennessee State Library & Archives (TSLA) has unveiled an upgraded website allowing Tennesseans to trace Revolutionary War veterans who migrated to the state following the war.  

The website, Patriot Paths: Mapping Tennessee’s American Revolution Pension Applications, is an interactive digital...

TEMA

TEMA announces name change, department transition

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has become the Tennessee Emergency Management Authority (TEMA) has transitioned to a standalone cabinet-level department. TEMA was previously housed in the Department of Military. As i new standalone department, officials said TEMA will have better ability...

FHWA announces ATTAIN grants open until July 27

The Federal Highway Administration Tennessee Division is reminding potential applicants of upcoming deadlines for the ATTAIN Competitive Grant Program. 

The program funds the deployment, installation, and operation of advanced transportation technologies to improve safety, mobility, efficiency...

TDEC announces consolidation, renaming of divisions

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has consolidated the Division of Remediation and Division of Solid Waste Management into the new Division of Land Protection. The Division of Remediation and Division of Solid Waste will now be referred to as the Division of Land...

TDOE unveils TCAP assessment scores

The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) has released the state-level overview and the full 2025-26 TCAP assessment data to the public. These results include English Language Arts, mathematics, and social students but not science, which is in a standard-setting year. According to the results, 42...

Tennessee ranks sixth in nation for heart disease risk

Health officials are shining a light on heart disease with Tennessee ranking as the state with the sixth highest heart disease mortality rate. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found heart disease is the leading contributing factor for death in most Americans and...

Unemployment2026

Tennessee May 2026 unemployment remains steady

Tennessee’s May unemployment rate remained unchanged from 3.6% for the fourth consecutive month. Data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) indicates the rate was also above the 3.5% rate recorded in May 2025. Tennessee’s unemployment rate remains below the...

Tennessee Department of Revenue

Tennessee May 2026 revenues $227.2M above estimates

Tennessee revenues exceeded budgeted estimates for the month of May.  

Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson reported that total May tax revenues were $1.9 billion, $227.2 million more than the budgeted estimate and $244.7 million more than May 2025. The total tax growth...

Tennessee Highway Patrol vehicle

THP announces reaccreditation

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security is proud to announce that the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) has been awarded its Fifth Accreditation Award by the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police. This accreditation is granted for a three‑year period, extending through June 2030...

Tennessee becomes first state in nation with nuclear fusion framework

Tennessee has become the first state in the nation with its own regulatory framework for nuclear fusion machines. The technology-neutral approach to fusion regulation taps into more than 60 years of resources and experience from its involvement as a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Agreement...

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...