Rutherford County | |
|---|---|
 Rutherford County Courthouse, Murfreesboro | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee | |
 Tennessee's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 35°50′N 86°25′W / 35.84°N 86.42°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Tennessee |
| Founded | October 25, 1803 |
| Named for | Griffith Rutherford[1] |
| Seat | Murfreesboro |
| Largest city | Murfreesboro |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Joe Carr (R) |
| Area | |
• Total | 624 sq mi (1,620 km2) |
| • Land | 619 sq mi (1,600 km2) |
| • Water | 4.7 sq mi (12 km2) 0.8% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 341,486 |
• Estimate (2023) | 367,101  |
| • Density | 550/sq mi (210/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 37037, 37060, 37063, 37085, 37086, 37089, 37118, 37127, 37128, 37129, 37130, 37131, 37132, 37133, 37153, 37167 |
| Area code | 615, 629 |
| Congressional district | 4th |
| Website | rutherfordcountytn |
Rutherford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is located in Middle Tennessee. As of a 2023 estimate, the population was 367,101,[2] making it the fifth-most populous county in Tennessee. A study conducted by the University of Tennessee projects Rutherford County to become the third largest county in Tennessee by population by 2050.[3] Its county seat is Murfreesboro,[4] which is also the geographic center of Tennessee. As of 2010, it is the center of population of Tennessee.[5][6] Rutherford County is included in the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area.
- ^ Hankins, Caneta Skelley (December 25, 2009). "Rutherford County". Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ Hineman, Brinley (December 12, 2019). "Rutherford's explosive growth set to push county's population to Tennessee's third-largest, study says". Murfreesboro Daily News Journal. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
Currently ranking fifth-largest county statewide, researchers from the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee project that by 2026, Rutherford County's growth will outpace Hamilton County, and by 2050, it will have more residents than Knox County.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "Centers of Population by State: 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- ^ "Geographic Center of Tennessee". The Historical Marker Database. December 31, 2009. Retrieved April 28, 2014.