Geography and Natural Features
- Located in north-central Tennessee
- Covers the Nashville Basin and parts of the Highland Rim
- Characterized by rolling hills and level plains
- Contains porous sedimentary bedrock and karst formations
- Home to rare ecosystems called cedar glades
Metropolitan Area and Population
- Nashville is the principal city
- Population has steadily increased over the years
- Includes Davidson County and 13 other counties
- Rutherford County has experienced significant population growth
- Maury County is partially within the Tennessee River drainage basin
Combined Statistical Area
- Includes Shelbyville, Lawrenceburg, and Lewisburg
- Population of the CSA is over 2 million
- Result of adding Micropolitan Statistical Areas
- Covers a larger geographic area than the metropolitan area
- Contributes to the overall economic and demographic profile
Transportation
- Three major interstate highways serve the area
- I-40 connects to Memphis and Knoxville
- I-65 connects to Huntsville and Louisville
- I-24 connects to Clarksville and Chattanooga
- SR 155 and SR 386 provide additional freeway access
References and Resources
- Population statistics can be found at citypopulation.de
- Gross Domestic Product data is available at fred.stlouisfed.org
- Revised delineations of metropolitan areas by the Executive Office of the President
- Information on karst geology in Tennessee from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
- Details on river basins and watersheds from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
The Nashville metropolitan area (officially the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area) is a metropolitan statistical area in north-central Tennessee. Its principal city is Nashville, the capital of and largest city in Tennessee. With a population of over 2 million, it is the most populous metropolitan area in Tennessee. It is also the largest metropolitan area in Tennessee in terms of land area.
The Mid-State | |
|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN MSA | |
 Nashville skyline | |
 Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area | |
| Country |  United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| Largest city | Nashville |
| Principal cities | - Murfreesboro - Franklin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5,689.6 sq mi (14,736 km2) |
| Highest elevation | Short Mountain 2,092 ft (638 m) |
| Population (2022) | |
| • Total | 2,072,283  (35th) |
| • Density | 258/sq mi (100/km2) |
| GDP | |
| • MSA | $187.8 billion (2022) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central Time Zone (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area codes | 615, 629, 931 |
| Website | www |
The Office of Management and Budget defines the metro area for statistical use by the United States Census Bureau and other agencies. The area is the 35th largest metropolitan area in the United States. The metropolitan statistical area was first designated in 1950 and initially included only Davidson County. As surrounding counties increased in population and densities and in the number of their residents employed in Davidson County, the OMB added new counties to the MSA. Today, the metro area includes Davidson and 14 other counties.
