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GLP-1 adoption in Tennessee

Tennessee has an estimated 354,273 GLP-1 users across 95 counties. Average estimated adoption is 0.6 percentage points below the national rate of 5.7%.

Last reviewed |Reviewed by the FormBlends Editorial Standards Team

5.1%

Est. adoption rate

354,273

Est. users

37.6%

Avg adult obesity

6,923,772

Adult population

State facts for search and AI answers

What makes the Tennessee GLP-1 page useful

This page ties the statewide answer to county-level demand, coverage context, and practical access checks. The goal is to help readers move from a broad state estimate to the local county or provider question that actually matters.

State signal

Tennessee: 95 counties, 354,273 estimated GLP-1 users

State pages summarize the county-level demand model before readers drill into local pages.

Model inputs

Average adoption 5.1%; average adult obesity 37.6%

The model uses CDC PLACES obesity prevalence, Census population, and KFF national GLP-1 utilization.

Coverage context

Yes. Tennessee Medicaid covers GLP-1s for obesity treatment, subject to prior authorization and other utilization controls. According to KFF (2026-01-16), federal Medicaid rules require GLP-1 coverage for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and sleep apnea indications. Obesity coverage is optional and varies by state.

Coverage policy can make real access higher or lower than projected local demand.

How to use this page

Find counties with the strongest demand signal, then verify coverage, provider access, and pharmacy source before starting care.

This is a local planning page, not a prescription recommendation.

Counties ranked by estimated adoption

Adoption strip: each bar is one county, tallest = highest estimated rate
County adoption strip. Tallest bar = highest projected adoption in Tennessee.
Ranked counties in Tennessee by estimated GLP-1 adoption.
RankCountyPopulationObesity %Est. adoptionEst. users
1Lake6,89847.3%6.4%444
2Lauderdale25,17147.2%6.4%1,616
3McMinn53,53246.8%6.4%3,410
4Haywood17,80646.6%6.3%1,129
5Fentress18,64244.5%6.1%1,130
6Bedford50,53344.4%6.0%3,052
7Madison98,64444.3%6.0%5,948
8Hardeman25,51943.8%6.0%1,521
9Tipton61,11643.6%5.9%3,624
10Carroll28,38143.1%5.9%1,666
11Scott21,91743.1%5.9%1,287
12Morgan21,12443.0%5.8%1,236
13Polk17,62043.0%5.8%1,031
14Decatur11,48342.8%5.8%669
15Hancock6,72642.6%5.8%390
16Macon25,36542.6%5.8%1,471
17Cannon14,48142.5%5.8%838
18Rhea33,03142.4%5.8%1,906
19Claiborne32,09242.3%5.8%1,848
20Campbell39,39742.2%5.7%2,261
21Crockett13,95542.2%5.7%801
22Warren41,16342.0%5.7%2,355
23Anderson77,33741.9%5.7%4,408
24Pickett5,04241.9%5.7%287
25Bradley108,85941.5%5.7%6,151
26Bledsoe14,81641.3%5.6%833
27Lawrence44,37741.3%5.6%2,494
28Weakley32,94641.1%5.6%1,842
29Humphreys19,03240.8%5.5%1,056
30Grainger23,64840.7%5.5%1,310
31Hawkins57,10740.7%5.5%3,164
32Greene70,39940.6%5.5%3,893
33Overton22,57640.6%5.5%1,248
34Benton15,93340.5%5.5%878
35Grundy13,55040.4%5.5%745
36Meigs12,83940.4%5.5%706
37Hamblen64,53140.3%5.5%3,543
38Lincoln35,36540.3%5.5%1,942
39Marion28,85240.2%5.5%1,578
40Obion30,67040.2%5.5%1,678
41Sumner196,84540.2%5.5%10,767
42Wayne16,32540.2%5.5%893
43Chester17,39240.0%5.4%946
44Clay7,59239.9%5.4%412
45DeKalb20,20939.9%5.4%1,097
46Giles30,31739.9%5.4%1,646
47Cocke36,18639.8%5.4%1,961
48Cumberland61,55239.8%5.4%3,336
49Perry8,43239.8%5.4%457
50Johnson17,98239.7%5.4%971
51Union19,86039.7%5.4%1,072
52Shelby926,44039.6%5.4%49,935
53Marshall34,56739.5%5.4%1,860
54Coffee58,08039.4%5.4%3,113
55Dyer36,81839.4%5.4%1,973
56Gibson50,45539.4%5.4%2,704
57White27,42039.4%5.4%1,470
58McNairy25,89539.3%5.3%1,385
59Trousdale11,59639.3%5.3%620
60Houston8,25339.2%5.3%441
61Sequatchie16,06539.2%5.3%858
62Lewis12,63739.1%5.3%672
63Unicoi17,84539.1%5.3%949
64Jackson11,73039.0%5.3%623
65Monroe46,48938.8%5.3%2,455
66Putnam80,15738.8%5.3%4,232
67Cheatham41,18438.7%5.3%2,170
68Fayette42,22838.7%5.3%2,225
69Van Buren6,18238.7%5.3%326
70Henderson27,84538.6%5.3%1,462
71Montgomery222,30538.5%5.2%11,649
72Smith20,03438.5%5.2%1,050
73Moore6,55838.4%5.2%343
74Henry32,30538.1%5.2%1,677
75Hickman24,99638.1%5.2%1,297
76Rutherford343,72738.1%5.2%17,839
77Sevier98,45538.1%5.2%5,110
78Carter56,31538.0%5.2%2,911
79Hardin26,82438.0%5.2%1,387
80Stewart13,72437.7%5.1%704
81Sullivan158,72237.7%5.1%8,142
82Jefferson55,01737.2%5.1%2,784
83Dickson54,56337.1%5.0%2,755
84Roane53,77736.8%5.0%2,694
85Loudon55,50736.6%5.0%2,764
86Robertson73,29736.4%5.0%3,628
87Washington133,28236.3%4.9%6,584
88Blount135,95136.1%4.9%6,675
89Franklin42,98035.8%4.9%2,093
90Maury102,00234.8%4.7%4,835
91Hamilton367,19334.5%4.7%17,258
92Knox481,40634.1%4.6%22,337
93Davidson709,78632.5%4.4%31,373
94Wilson149,09630.7%4.2%6,232
95Williamson248,89728.7%3.9%9,732

How Tennessee fits the national picture

The KFF 2024 poll pegged national adult GLP-1 use at 5.7%. Applied to Tennessee's obesity profile, the model projects 5.1% of adults are on a GLP-1 medication. That matches the county-level obesity data from CDC PLACES (2023) more than any measured prescription count; the state's real share could be higher in urban areas with broad commercial coverage, or lower in rural regions where prescriber access is limited.

Compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide complicate the picture. After the FDA shortage resolution in late 2024 and early 2025, compounded supply dropped sharply. Brand-name utilization rose. The county numbers here don't separate brand vs. compounded, because no public dataset does yet.

Decision path

How should I use the Tennessee GLP-1 map?

This state view is a demand and access signal, not a prescription recommendation. Use it to understand where GLP-1 need may be concentrated, then pressure-test provider availability, insurance rules, and pharmacy quality before starting care.

State
Tennessee
Counties
95
Est. users
354,273
Avg adoption
5.1%

Step 1

Find county context

County estimates help separate broad statewide demand from the local access picture a patient actually experiences.

Review counties

Step 2

Check coverage and price

Tennessee access depends on payer policy, prior authorization, cash-pay pricing, and whether local clinicians can support follow-up.

Check coverage path

Step 3

Decide on care route

If local access is thin or pricing is unclear, a supervised telehealth assessment can clarify eligibility and next steps.

Compare provider options

Evidence standard

How this page was source-checked

Editorial policy

FormBlends does not claim an individual clinician byline unless a named reviewer is available. For this page, the editorial team checks medical and regulatory claims against primary sources, clinical trials, public datasets, and regulator guidance.

Frequently asked questions

How is GLP-1 adoption calculated for Tennessee counties?
We multiply each county's CDC PLACES 2023 adult obesity prevalence by a scaling factor k = 0.1361, which comes from the KFF 2024 figure of 5.7% national GLP-1 adoption divided by the 41.9% national adult obesity rate. That gives an estimated per-county adoption %. Multiply by Census ACS 5-year 2022 county population to get projected users. Tennessee shows 5.1% state-average adoption under this model.
Why is Tennessee's number 0.6 percentage points below the national average?
Adult obesity prevalence in Tennessee averages 37.6% (CDC BRFSS 2024, state-level). The national average is 41.9%. The model links adoption linearly to obesity, so states above the national obesity rate come out above the national adoption estimate, and vice versa. Real variation also depends on commercial insurance coverage and Medicaid GLP-1 policy, both of which differ significantly by state.
Do Medicaid enrollees in Tennessee get GLP-1 coverage?
Yes. Tennessee Medicaid covers GLP-1s for obesity treatment, subject to prior authorization and other utilization controls. According to KFF (2026-01-16), federal Medicaid rules require GLP-1 coverage for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and sleep apnea indications. Obesity coverage is optional and varies by state.
What studies back up GLP-1 weight loss expectations?
The STEP 1 trial (Wilding et al., NEJM, 2021) enrolled 1,961 adults on 2.4mg weekly semaglutide over 68 weeks and saw mean body weight change of negative 14.9% vs negative 2.4% on placebo. SURMOUNT-1 (Jastreboff et al., NEJM, 2022) tested tirzepatide in 2,539 adults over 72 weeks and saw negative 20.9% at 15mg weekly. Both were randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled.
How often does the Tennessee county data refresh?
CDC PLACES releases annually in late summer. Census ACS 5-year estimates release every December. KFF reruns its GLP-1 utilization poll roughly twice a year. We re-run the full county model whenever any of those update, and the last-reviewed date at the top of every page reflects the most recent refresh.

Sources

Related reading

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Estimated adoption figures are modeled projections from public data, not measured prescription counts. This page is general information, not medical advice. Individual results vary. Talk to a licensed healthcare provider before starting any medication.