Census division 6
The East South Central division
The East South Central division has 4 states with 19,916,866 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimates, 5.9% of the US total, on 178,286 square miles of land. It ranks 8th of 9 divisions by population and 7th by land area.
- Residents 2024
- 19,916,866
- 5.9% of the US
- Land area
- 178,286 sq mi
- Density
- 111.7 / sq mi
- Member states
- 4
- 364 counties
Member states shaded by density; others hatched. Pins mark capitals.
East South Central population and land
The East South Central division has 4 states with 19,916,866 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimates, 5.9% of the US total, on 178,286 square miles of land. It ranks 8th of 9 divisions by population and 7th by land area. It averages 111.7 people per square mile, close to the national figure of 96.3.
Tennessee is the most populous member with 7,227,750 residents, 36% of the division, while Alabama is the largest by land at 50,651 square miles. Mississippi is the least populous, with 2,943,045.
States in the East South Central division
The Census Bureau groups the states into 4 regions and 9 divisions for statistics. East South Central is division 6, part of the South region. Totals below are sums of Vintage 2024 county estimates and 2024 Gazetteer land area.
| State | Residents | Share | Land sq mi | Per sq mi | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | 7,227,750 | 36.3% | 41,224 | 175.3 | 95 |
| Alabama | 5,157,699 | 25.9% | 50,651 | 101.8 | 67 |
| Kentucky | 4,588,372 | 23.0% | 39,485 | 116.2 | 120 |
| Mississippi | 2,943,045 | 14.8% | 46,925 | 62.7 | 82 |
Counties in the East South Central division
Its 364 county-equivalents have a median of 24,897 residents, close to the national median county of 26,122. The most populous is Shelby County, TN, with 910,530; the largest by land is Baldwin County, AL, at 1,590 square miles.
The median county household income here is $54,477 in SAIPE 2023, 13% below the national median county, $62,851. It ranges from $28,579 in Claiborne County, MS to $136,007 in Williamson County, TN.
- 01Shelby County, TN910,530
- 02Jefferson County, KY793,881
- 03Davidson County, TN729,505
- 04Jefferson County, AL664,744
- 05Knox County, TN506,748
- 06Madison County, AL423,355
- 07Mobile County, AL412,339
- 08Hamilton County, TN386,256
- 09Rutherford County, TN376,996
- 10Fayette County, KY329,437
Distances and center
The two member capitals farthest apart are Frankfort and Jackson, 505 miles in a straight line. Weighting every county's internal point by population puts the division's center of population near 35.09° N, 86.69° W. The method is explained in the center of population guide.
Bordering states compared
4 pairs of member states share a border. Each comparison puts population, land, counties and capitals side by side.
Questions people ask
What states are in the East South Central division?
Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, per the Census Bureau's regions and divisions.
What is the population of the East South Central division?
19,916,866 in the Census Vintage 2024 estimates, 5.9% of the US.
What is the largest state in the East South Central division?
Alabama by land (50,651 square miles) and Tennessee by population (7,227,750).
What is the most populous county in the East South Central division?
Shelby County, TN, with 910,530 residents.
Which Census region is the East South Central division in?
The South region, which also includes the South Atlantic division and the West South Central division.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
- 01Census Bureau regions and divisions of the United States (last verified 2026-09-30)
- 02Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
- 03Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
- 04Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.