Tamil Nadu has a total population of 7,21,47,030 and holds the distinction of having the highest number of factory workers in the country, with 26.6 lakh employed in this sector. The Worker Population Ratio stands at 56.6%, and 48.4% of the population resides in urban areas. The state has a literacy rate of 80.09%, with male literacy at 86.77% and female literacy at 73.14%. Tamil Nadu also has a sex ratio of 996 females per 1,000 males, which is above the national average of 940. It boasts the highest annual turnout of skilled manpower in India and has the largest number of women workforce employed in factories across the country.

Tamil Nadu has a well-established healthcare infrastructure with 8,713 sub-health centres, 2,336 primary health centres, 235 sub-district hospitals, 29 district hospitals, 15 medical college hospitals, and 372 government hospitals. The state maintains a doctor-to-patient ratio of 1.6 per 1,000 people, which exceeds the World Health Organization's recommended standard. Tamil Nadu also plays a pivotal role in India's medical tourism sector, catering to 40% of all medical tourists in the country. It is home to more than 400 drug manufacturing companies and ranks 4th in medical device manufacturing and 5th in pharmaceutical production nationally. The state has approximately 88,000 registered pharmacists and over 70 institutes offering a wide range of pharmaceutical and biotechnology degrees and diploma programs.

Tamil Nadu is home to a strong and expansive education ecosystem, featuring over 1,900 colleges, including premier institutions such as IIT, IIM, and NIFT. The state has more than 525 engineering colleges, 455 arts and science colleges, 492 polytechnic institutes, and over 110 community colleges affiliated with IGNOU. Every year, Tamil Nadu produces over 5,00,000 graduates, including more than 2,00,000 engineering graduates. The state also hosts 5 Apex Skill Development Centres and benefits from a robust skill development ecosystem, supported by the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation, which plays a key role in enhancing the employability and capabilities of its talent pool. Gross enrollment ratios in Tamil Nadu are notably high—95.7% at the elementary school level, 95.6% for secondary education, 81.5% for senior secondary, and 46.9% in higher education—reflecting a strong commitment to inclusive and continuous learning across all stages.

The state is also home to 5 Apex Skill Development Centres, ensuring a steady pipeline of industry-ready professionals. The IT and ITES sector in Tamil Nadu provides direct employment to approximately 6,61,000 people. The state holds the distinction of being India's largest exporter of electronics and is widely recognized as the Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) capital of the country, hosting 8 out of the world's top 10 EMS players. Tamil Nadu also accounts for 21% of India's white goods production. According to FDI Intelligence, Chennai is ranked as the most cost-effective global location for electronics manufacturing and R&D activities.

Tamil Nadu boasts a robust transport and industrial infrastructure. The state is served by 4 international airports and 2 domestic airports, with 2 more airports currently under development. It also has 4 major ports and 17 non-major ports, along with 1 upcoming port to further enhance maritime connectivity. The state features an integrated multimodal transportation network, with a total roadway length of 1,99,040 km ensuring last-mile connectivity for commercial activities. This includes an extensive road network spanning 17,154 km, with 5,324 km covered by national highways and 11,830 km by state highways. Tamil Nadu is also a key player in industrial development, housing 110 industrial parks and estates, 45 Domestic Tariff Zones, and over 42 operational Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The state is strategically positioned within major industrial corridors including the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor, Chennai–Bengaluru Industrial Corridor, Chennai–Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor, and the Kochi–Coimbatore–Bengaluru Industrial Corridor.

Tamil Nadu ranks 4th in India for solar power generation and is home to the world’s largest single-location solar power project. The state also has immense potential for wind energy, with the capacity to generate nearly 35 GW from onshore wind resources. Demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability, Tamil Nadu has implemented a State Action Plan on Climate Change for the period 2023–2030 and established a dedicated fund of INR 1,000 crore to support climate change mitigation projects. The state contributes to 46% of India’s total renewable energy manufacturing and accounts for 10% of all electric vehicles sold in the country. In NITI Aayog’s SDG 13 Index for 2023–24, Tamil Nadu ranked 2nd nationally, with a score of 81, reflecting strong performance in climate action.