About Our District

Geography

The Second Congressional District is situated in East Tennessee and consists of the following counties: Knox, Blount, Loudon, Grainger, Claiborne and portions of Jefferson and Campbell.  The District has an approximate population of 710,000, and most of its citizens reside in the Knoxville metropolitan area.  Other cities in the District include Lenoir City, Maryville, Harrogate, and Jefferson City.

The District follows the north-south axis of the Appalachian Mountains, with a majority of its land falling at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.  Additionally, a number of man-made lakes created and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) can be found in the District, including Fort Loudon, Tellico, Cherokee, and Norris.  The Holston and French Broad Rivers join in the upper District to form the Tennessee River, which provides water transportation to much of the region.

To learn more, visit the Census Bureau's My Congressional District page.

Economics

The Second District maintains a diverse economy encompassing manufacturing, tourism, high-tech research, and agricultural production.  District residents are truly engaged in nearly every field of employment.  TVA is headquartered in Knoxville, and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory is located in nearby Oak Ridge. Both facilities employ a number of District residents and support the District's economy.

Blount County has long been the home of aluminum processing, and other manufacturers in the District produce a wide range of goods including boats, mobile homes, electronics, medical supplies, and apparel.  Most of the agriculture in East Tennessee consists of small farmers; the average farm size is 107 acres.  The area's largest cash crop is tobacco, but other cash crops include corn, wheat, and hay.  Although most cattle raised in the area are sold to larger producers in the Western United States, local farmers also raise swine and poultry.

Tourism

The economy of the Second District benefits from travel and tourism as a result of Interstates 75 and 40 intersecting in Knoxville.  A portion of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is also found in the District in Blount County, which is home to scenic Cades Cove.  Drawing more than nine million visitors annually, it is the most visited National Park in the Country.  The Cherokee National Forest can be found in the southern District as well.

The region also has a long tradition of strongly supporting the University of Tennessee athletic teams.  Accommodating 102,455 fans, Neyland Stadium becomes the fifth largest city in the entire State during home football games.

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