If you’ve driven through Montgomery County lately, you’ve seen it. The orange barrels. The new subdivisions popping up where tobacco fields used to be. It’s hard to ignore. Honestly, the population in Clarksville TN is moving at a pace that feels a little breathless, even for those of us who have lived here through the quiet years.
We aren't just a "military town" anymore.
Sure, Fort Campbell is the heartbeat. It always will be. But something else is happening. People are moving here from everywhere—California, Chicago, and especially from our neighbor 45 minutes south, Nashville. They are coming for the space. They are coming because, frankly, you can still buy a house here without having to sell a kidney.
As of early 2026, the official numbers are catching up to the reality on the ground. We are looking at a city population that has surged past the 190,000 mark. If you count the whole metro area, it’s well over 340,000.
The Numbers Behind the Population in Clarksville TN
Let’s look at the actual math. In the 2020 Census, Clarksville sat at 166,722 people. Fast forward to the mid-2024 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, and we were already at 185,690. That is an 11.4% jump in just four years.
That’s wild.
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Most cities are lucky to grow by 1% a year. Clarksville is closer to 2.5% or 3%. According to projections from the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee, Clarksville is on a collision course with Chattanooga. We’ve already seen reports suggesting that by the end of this year or early next, Clarksville could officially become the fourth-largest city in Tennessee.
Think about that. We are chasing down the historic "Big Four."
It’s not just about more bodies in the room, though. The median age here is roughly 30 years old. That is incredibly young. For context, the state average for Tennessee is closer to 39. We are a city of young families, early-career professionals, and soldiers who decided to trade their boots for a civilian paycheck but didn't want to leave the area.
Why Everyone Is Moving to Montgomery County
You can't talk about the population in Clarksville TN without talking about the "Nashville Effect."
Nashville got expensive. Fast.
When a starter home in East Nashville or Franklin starts hitting the $600,000 mark, people start looking for an exit. Clarksville used to be the "far away" option. Now, with the expansion of I-24 and the rise of remote work, a 50-minute commute (on a good day) doesn't seem so bad when you can get a four-bedroom house for $350,000.
Then there's the job market. This isn't just a bedroom community for Nashville commuters.
- LG Chem is a massive deal. They are bringing in hundreds of high-paying engineering and technical jobs.
- Hankook Tire and Google (over in nearby Hendersonville and locally) have anchored the industrial park.
- Fort Campbell separates about 400 soldiers every month.
That last point is huge. Jeff Tyndall and the folks at the Regional Planning Commission have noted that we retain about 30% to 35% of those exiting soldiers. They already have roots here. Their kids are in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS). Why leave?
The Growing Pains No One Likes to Talk About
Growth isn't all shiny new Starbucks and Target locations. It’s heavy.
If you’ve tried to turn left onto Wilma Rudolph Boulevard at 5:00 PM, you know exactly what I mean. The infrastructure is struggling to keep up. The city's land area is roughly 100 square miles, but we are dense in the wrong places.
Housing is the biggest hurdle. A 2025 report from Bowen National Research pointed out a "severe shortage" of affordable units. We have plenty of $400,000 suburban homes, but for the young couples starting at Austin Peay State University or the single soldiers, the options are getting thin. Rents have climbed. The median gross rent is now hovering around $1,300, which is a far cry from the $800 we saw a decade ago.
The schools are feeling it too. CMCSS is one of the fastest-growing districts in the state. Every few years, it feels like we are breaking ground on a new elementary or middle school just to keep the trailers off the playgrounds.
What to Expect Next
If you are looking at the population in Clarksville TN as an investor or someone moving here, the trajectory is clear. We are not slowing down.
The city is currently working on the "Clarksville-Montgomery County Comprehensive Plan." It's a roadmap to figure out how to handle the next 50,000 people. They are looking at "smart growth"—basically trying to keep the rural parts of the county rural while making the city center more walkable.
Is it working? Kinda.
The downtown area is seeing a massive resurgence. The F&M Bank Arena has changed the game for foot traffic. We have more local breweries and boutiques than ever. But the outskirts are still dominated by sprawl.
Your Next Steps
If you’re moving here or already living here, you need to be proactive about this growth.
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First, look at the transit plans. The city often holds public forums about road expansions (like the 41A Bypass and Tiny Town Road improvements). Show up. Your input on where those roads go actually matters.
Second, if you're buying a home, look at the school zoning. With this many people coming in, zones change. Don't assume the school your kid is zoned for today will be the same one three years from now.
Lastly, support the local businesses that make Clarksville unique. As the big-box retailers move in to capture the new "market approved" status of our 200,000-person population, it’s the shops on Franklin Street and the local spots in Sango that keep the city’s soul intact.
The growth is inevitable. How we handle it is up to us.