The map above shows Rhode Island and Tennessee side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Rhode Island vs Tennessee Geography
Land area: Rhode Island has a land area of 1,034 square miles (2,678 km²), while Tennessee has 41,224 square miles (106,770 km²). Tennessee's land area is 39.9 times larger than Rhode Island's.
Total area: Rhode Island: 1,545 square miles (4,002 km²) vs Tennessee: 42,130 square miles (109,116 km²), including inland and coastal water. Tennessee's total area is 27.3 times larger than Rhode Island's.
Length: Rhode Island is 61 miles (98 km) long from north to south; Tennessee is 191 miles (308 km). Tennessee's north-south length is 3.1 times (213%) longer than Rhode Island's.
Width: Rhode Island spans 42 miles (67 km) east to west; Tennessee spans 497 miles (800 km). Tennessee's east-west width is 11.8 times wider than Rhode Island's.
Highest point: Rhode Island's highest point is Jerimoth Hill at 811 feet (247 m); Tennessee's is Clingmans Dome at 6,624 feet (2,019 m). Clingmans Dome is 5,813 feet higher than Jerimoth Hill.
Lowest point: Rhode Island's lowest point is Atlantic Ocean at 0 feet; Tennessee's is Mississippi River at 178 feet. Rhode Island's lowest point is 178 feet lower.
Rhode Island vs Tennessee Population and History
Population: Rhode Island has a population of 1,112,308 (2024), while Tennessee has 7,227,750 (2024). Tennessee's population is 6.5 times (550%) larger than Rhode Island's.
Population density: Rhode Island: 1,075.8 people per square mile vs Tennessee: 175.3. Rhode Island's population density is 6.1 times (514%) higher than Tennessee's.
Biggest city: Rhode Island's biggest city is Providence with 194,706 people; Tennessee's is Nashville with 704,963. Nashville's population is 3.6 times (262%) larger than Providence's.
Largest metro area: Rhode Island's largest metropolitan area is Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area (1,700,901 people) vs Tennessee's Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area (2,150,553). Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area's population is 1.3 times (26%) larger than Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metro area's.
History: Rhode Island: Admitted to the Union on May 29, 1790, as the 13th state. Tennessee: Admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796, as the 16th state. In its current form, Rhode Island is the older of the two by 6 years.
Rhode Island vs Tennessee Economy
GDP: Rhode Island's GDP is $80.4 billion (2024) vs Tennessee's $561.2 billion. Tennessee's economic output is 7.0 times (598%) larger than Rhode Island's.
GDP per capita: Rhode Island: $72,265 per person vs Tennessee: $77,645. Tennessee's GDP per capita is 1.1 times (7%) higher than Rhode Island's.
Average income: Rhode Island: $70,622 vs Tennessee: $66,504 average income per person (per capita personal income). Rhode Island's average income is 1.1 times (6%) higher than Tennessee's.
Rhode Island vs Tennessee Counties
Number of counties: Rhode Island has 5 counties, while Tennessee has 95. Tennessee's county count is 19.0 times higher than Rhode Island's.
Biggest county by area: Rhode Island's largest county is Providence County at 410 square miles; Tennessee's is Shelby County at 753 square miles. Shelby County's land area is 1.8 times (84%) larger than Providence County's.
Smallest county by area: Rhode Island: Bristol County (24 sq mi) vs Tennessee: Trousdale County (114 sq mi). Trousdale County's land area is 4.7 times (374%) larger than Bristol County's.
Most populous county: Rhode Island: Providence County (675,912 people) vs Tennessee: Shelby County (910,530 people). Shelby County's population is 1.3 times (35%) larger than Providence County's.
Least populous county: Rhode Island: Bristol County (50,145 people) vs Tennessee: Pickett County (5,108 people). Bristol County's population is 9.8 times (882%) larger than Pickett County's.
Richest county: Rhode Island: Bristol County ($99,923 per capita income) vs Tennessee: Williamson County ($139,704). Williamson County's income is 1.4 times (40%) richer than Bristol County's.
Poorest county: Rhode Island: Providence County ($61,040 per capita income) vs Tennessee: Lake County ($31,572). Providence County's income is 1.9 times (93%) richer than Lake County's.
Rhode Island vs Tennessee Taxes
State income tax: Rhode Island has a top income tax rate of 5.99%, while Tennessee has no state income tax. Rhode Island's top rate is 5.99 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Rhode Island: 1.07% effective rate vs Tennessee: 0.45% of home value per year. Rhode Island's rate is 0.62 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Rhode Island: 7% combined state and average local rate vs Tennessee: 9.61%. Tennessee's combined rate is 2.61 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Rhode Island official website · Tennessee official website
More Size Comparisons
All Rhode Island 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.