New yearly census estimates pegged Tennessee's 2016 population at 6.65 million, which was nearly one percent more than the prior year.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press reported the fastest growing counties in Tennessee were in or near metropolitan Nashville. Metro Nashville grew by two percent, nearly three times the U.S growth rate, to top 1.86 million people last year.
The U.S. Bureau of Census estimated Hamilton County grew by 4,134 residents from July 2015 to July 2016 -- a growth pace nearly 25 percent faster than the nation as a whole.
Melissa Stefanini, director of the Tennessee State Data Center, said more than 39,000 people moved to Tennessee last year, which helped it remain the 11th fastest growing state for net migration.
