Where Tennessee’s New Residents are Moving - County by County

Issue #689

March 19, 2026

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🌤 Columbia’s Friday Weather - Partly cloudy w/ high of 83, low of 58

📰 Where Tennessee’s New Residents are Moving - County by County  

👉 Timeless Treasures: Spring Hill Founders’ Day Historic Home Tour

🗓 List of Upcoming Events

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Where Tennessee’s New Residents are Moving - County by County

Tennessee continues to rank among the top states for inbound migration, but new data shows that growth isn’t spread evenly across the state.

A recent study from StorageCafe, using U.S. Census data, found that Tennessee added more than 51,000 net new residents in 2023. Younger generations are driving much of that growth, with Millennials and Gen Z making up over half of all newcomers.

So where are they going?

Leading the state is Knox County, which added about 8,800 new residents — the highest total in Tennessee. More than half of those newcomers came from out of state, and the population skews young, with Gen Z making up a large share.

Rutherford County (Murfreesboro) follows closely behind with around 8,000 net move-ins, continuing its steady growth thanks to its proximity to Nashville and strong job market.

Other counties seeing significant growth include a cluster in East Tennessee — Washington, Unicoi, Carter, and Johnson counties — which together added about 5,000 new residents.

Here’s a look at the rest of the top counties for net migration in 2023:

  • No. 4: Hamilton County (3,600)

  • No. 5: Montgomery County (3,500)

  • No. 6: Williamson County (3,100)

  • No. 7: Sumner and Robertson counties (2,900 combined)

  • No. 8: Cumberland, Fentress, and White counties (2,800 combined)

  • No. 9: Coffee, Franklin, and Moore counties (2,400 combined)

  • No. 10: Anderson, Morgan, and Roane counties (1,800 combined)

The study also highlights differences in how people are moving. Hamilton and Montgomery counties are seeing more renters, while areas like Cumberland, Fentress, and White counties are attracting more homebuyers, particularly among older residents.

As for where people are coming from, California remains the largest source of new residents, followed closely by Florida. Many of those moving from higher-cost states are purchasing homes soon after arriving, taking advantage of relatively lower housing prices.

While many parts of Tennessee are growing, not every county is seeing gains. Shelby County recorded the largest net loss, with more than 6,000 residents leaving than moving in.

Overall, the data shows that Tennessee’s growth is being driven by a mix of college towns, suburban counties near Nashville, and smaller areas offering affordability and space — with each region attracting a different type of newcomer.

Timeless Treasures: Spring Hill Founders’ Day Historic Home Tour

The Spring Hill Historical and Genealogical Society invites you to celebrate Founders’ Day with on May 2, 2026 by exploring Spring Hill’s rich past.

Step back into the late 1800’s and early 1900’s to experience Spring Hill’s historic homes. The residences of Spring Hill will reflect not only the prosperity of the past, but also the preservation of the present. 

Visits include… Brown Hall/Weaver Farm/Bonner Home, Grace Episcopal Church, Will Odil/Hogan Home, Finley/Hughes/Evans Home, Polk Home, Potter/South Creek Farm/Forkum Home, Curry Farm, and Rippa Villa.

Tickets are $25 and on sale now. Tour attendees will be available to purchase tickets with cash or check at these following locations: Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce, Spring Hill Antique Mall, First Farmers & Merchants Bank (both Spring Hill locations), Carters Creek Station Antiques, Columbia Antique Marketplace, and Maury County Visitors Center. On day of tour, you may purchase with exact ticket price in cash at the following tour sites: (TBA). 

This is a self-driving tour that you can take at your own pace.

Proceeds from Timeless Treasures support the Historic Spring Hill Cemetery for ongoing upkeep and perpetual care. The cemetery is located at 578 McClemore Avenue, Spring Hill, Tennessee.

When: May 2nd, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Friday, March 20th

Saturday, March 21st

Sunday, March 22nd

👇 Click the Links to Learn About our Local Business Sponsors! 👇

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Friday, March 20
Golden Soul Revue – Grinder’s Switch Winery, 7–9 PM
Tom Saffell & Robert Johnson – McCreary’s Irish Pub & Eatery, 7–9 PM
Rob Roscoe – Whiskey Alley Saloon, 7:30–9 PM
Radio Farm – Puckett’s, 7:30–9 PM
Hippies & Cowboys – The Mulehouse, 8 PM
Black Hole Sons – Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 8–11 PM

Saturday, March 21
Stevie Rock Acoustic Duo – McCreary’s Irish Pub & Eatery, 7–9 PM
The John Wayne Band – The Neon Moon, 7:30 PM
Karli & James – Puckett’s, 7:30–9 PM
Scotty Morton Band – The Boondox, 8 PM
Benji & The Jets – Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 8–11 PM

Sunday, March 22
Rob Keesling – Fozzy’s Bar & Grill, 2–5 PM

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