The map above shows Michigan and Tennessee side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Michigan vs Tennessee Geography
Land area: Michigan has a land area of 56,611 square miles (146,622 km²), while Tennessee has 41,224 square miles (106,770 km²). Michigan's land area is 1.4 times (37%) larger than Tennessee's.
Total area: Michigan: 96,713 square miles (250,486 km²) vs Tennessee: 42,130 square miles (109,116 km²), including inland and coastal water. Michigan's total area is 2.3 times (130%) larger than Tennessee's.
Length: Michigan is 489 miles (786 km) long from north to south; Tennessee is 191 miles (308 km). Michigan's north-south length is 2.6 times (156%) longer than Tennessee's.
Width: Michigan spans 453 miles (728 km) east to west; Tennessee spans 497 miles (800 km). Tennessee's east-west width is 1.1 times (10%) wider than Michigan's.
Highest point: Michigan's highest point is Mount Arvon at 2,014 feet (614 m); Tennessee's is Clingmans Dome at 6,624 feet (2,019 m). Clingmans Dome is 4,610 feet higher than Mount Arvon.
Lowest point: Michigan's lowest point is Lake Erie at 571 feet; Tennessee's is Mississippi River at 178 feet. Tennessee's lowest point is 393 feet lower.
Michigan vs Tennessee Population and History
Population: Michigan has a population of 10,140,459 (2024), while Tennessee has 7,227,750 (2024). Michigan's population is 1.4 times (40%) larger than Tennessee's.
Population density: Michigan: 179.1 people per square mile vs Tennessee: 175.3. Michigan and Tennessee have about the same population density.
Biggest city: Michigan's biggest city is Detroit with 645,705 people; Tennessee's is Nashville with 704,963. Nashville's population is 1.1 times (9%) larger than Detroit's.
Largest metro area: Michigan's largest metropolitan area is Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area (4,400,578 people) vs Tennessee's Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area (2,150,553). Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro area's population is 2.0 times (105%) larger than Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area's.
History: Michigan: Admitted to the Union on January 26, 1837, as the 26th state. Tennessee: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796, as the 16th state. In its current form, Tennessee is the older of the two by 41 years.
Michigan vs Tennessee Economy
GDP: Michigan's GDP is $702.5 billion (2024) vs Tennessee's $561.2 billion. Michigan's economic output is 1.3 times (25%) larger than Tennessee's.
GDP per capita: Michigan: $69,274 per person vs Tennessee: $77,645. Tennessee's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (12%) higher than Michigan's.
Average income: Michigan: $63,690 vs Tennessee: $66,504 average income per person (per capita personal income). Michigan and Tennessee have about the same average income.
Michigan vs Tennessee Counties
Number of counties: Michigan has 83 counties, while Tennessee has 95. Tennessee's county count is 1.1 times (14%) higher than Michigan's.
Biggest county by area: Michigan's largest county is Marquette County at 1,809 square miles; Tennessee's is Shelby County at 753 square miles. Marquette County's land area is 2.4 times (140%) larger than Shelby County's.
Smallest county by area: Michigan: Benzie County (320 sq mi) vs Tennessee: Trousdale County (114 sq mi). Benzie County's land area is 2.8 times (180%) larger than Trousdale County's.
Most populous county: Michigan: Wayne County (1,771,063 people) vs Tennessee: Shelby County (910,530 people). Wayne County's population is 1.9 times (95%) larger than Shelby County's.
Least populous county: Michigan: Keweenaw County (2,161 people) vs Tennessee: Pickett County (5,108 people). Pickett County's population is 2.4 times (136%) larger than Keweenaw County's.
Richest county: Michigan: Oakland County ($93,579 per capita income) vs Tennessee: Williamson County ($139,704). Williamson County's income is 1.5 times (49%) richer than Oakland County's.
Poorest county: Michigan: Lake County ($39,505 per capita income) vs Tennessee: Lake County ($31,572). Lake County's income is 1.3 times (25%) richer than Lake County's.
Michigan vs Tennessee Taxes
State income tax: Michigan has a top income tax rate of 4.25%, while Tennessee has no state income tax. Michigan's top rate is 4.25 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Michigan: 1.18% effective rate vs Tennessee: 0.45% of home value per year. Michigan's rate is 0.73 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Michigan: 6% combined state and average local rate vs Tennessee: 9.61%. Tennessee's combined rate is 3.61 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Michigan official website · Tennessee official website
More Size Comparisons
All Michigan size comparisons · All Tennessee size comparisons
Area, elevation and boundary figures come from official national statistics and US Census Bureau and Natural Earth boundary data; US state population, economic, county and tax figures come from the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Tax Foundation. Figures are rounded and for general reference.