Business Employment Dynamics in Tennessee — Fourth Quarter 2023

From September 2023 to December 2023, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Tennessee were 138,177, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 127,186, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 10,991 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2023. During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 39,668. (See chart 1.)

Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in Tennessee, December 2018–December 2023, seasonally adjusted

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in Tennessee, December 2018–December 2023, seasonally adjusted
Period	Gross job gains	Gross job losses
Dec. 2018	147,401	128,437
Mar. 2019	140,830	126,947
Jun. 2019	144,098	131,549
Sep. 2019	141,661	134,011
Dec. 2019	146,886	132,715
Mar. 2020	137,893	143,836
Jun. 2020	111,193	345,850
Sep. 2020	198,635	133,346
Dec. 2020	188,264	116,621
Mar. 2021	150,120	132,207
Jun. 2021	156,938	152,212
Sep. 2021	178,286	142,719
Dec. 2021	193,975	146,985
Mar. 2022	178,940	128,381
Jun. 2022	168,944	168,607
Sep. 2022	193,098	150,300
Dec. 2022	160,803	155,186
Mar. 2023	162,157	137,669
Jun. 2023	165,165	152,886
Sep. 2023	76,516	116,184
Dec. 2023	138,177	127,186

The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses is the net change in employment. (See the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.)

Gross job gains

In the fourth quarter of 2023, gross job gains represented 4.9 percent of private-sector employment in Tennessee; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.9 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) Gross job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the addition of new jobs at opening establishments. In Tennessee, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 98,631 in the fourth quarter of 2023, an increase of 37,362 jobs compared to the previous quarter. (See table 1.) Opening establishments accounted for 39,546 jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2023, an increase of 24,299 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 2. Private-sector gross job gains as a percent of employment, United States and Tennessee, December 2018–December 2023, seasonally adjusted
Period	United States	Tennessee
Dec. 2018	6.2	5.8
Mar. 2019	6.0	5.4
Jun. 2019	6.1	5.6
Sep. 2019	5.9	5.4
Dec. 2019	6.2	5.6
Mar. 2020	5.5	5.2
Jun. 2020	4.8	4.4
Sep. 2020	9.4	8.1
Dec. 2020	7.4	7.4
Mar. 2021	7.0	5.8
Jun. 2021	6.8	6.1
Sep. 2021	7.3	6.9
Dec. 2021	7.7	7.3
Mar. 2022	6.7	6.6
Jun. 2022	6.6	6.2
Sep. 2022	6.9	7.0
Dec. 2022	6.3	5.8
Mar. 2023	6.2	5.9
Jun. 2023	6.2	5.9
Sep. 2023	5.8	2.7
Dec. 2023	5.9	4.9

Gross job losses

In the fourth quarter of 2023, gross job losses represented 4.6 percent of private-sector employment in Tennessee; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.6 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In Tennessee, contracting establishments lost 103,023 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2023, an increase of 11,809 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 24,163 jobs, a decrease of 807 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 3. Private-sector gross job losses as a percent of employment, United States and Tennessee, December 2018–December 2023, seasonally adjusted
Period	United States	Tennessee
Dec. 2018	5.6	5.0
Mar. 2019	5.5	4.9
Jun. 2019	5.9	5.1
Sep. 2019	5.8	5.1
Dec. 2019	5.6	5.0
Mar. 2020	6.2	5.5
Jun. 2020	16.9	13.7
Sep. 2020	6.0	5.5
Dec. 2020	5.7	4.6
Mar. 2021	5.5	5.2
Jun. 2021	5.9	5.9
Sep. 2021	6.1	5.4
Dec. 2021	5.4	5.6
Mar. 2022	5.5	4.8
Jun. 2022	6.2	6.2
Sep. 2022	5.9	5.5
Dec. 2022	5.9	5.6
Mar. 2023	5.4	5.0
Jun. 2023	5.9	5.5
Sep. 2023	5.9	4.2
Dec. 2023	5.6	4.6

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 7 of the 11 industry sectors in Tennessee in the fourth quarter of 2023. Transportation and warehousing had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 7,995 jobs. This was the result of 13,515 gross job gains and 5,520 gross job losses. The leisure and hospitality industry had a net gain of 4,324 jobs. Professional and business services showed a net loss of 6,916 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state.

For more information

The BED data series include gross job gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size class. BED data for the states have been included in table 2 of this release. Additional information is available online at Business Employment Dynamics Home.

The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Revisions to Business Employment Dynamics (BED) Data

The release of First Quarter 2024 Business Employment Dynamics data, scheduled for October 30, 2024, will incorporate annual revisions in accordance with standard procedures. The revisions will include the previous four quarters of not seasonally adjusted data and five years of seasonally adjusted data.

Technical Note

The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records.

More information on formal definitions of the data used in this release, along with coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Tennessee, seasonally adjusted
Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
Category	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	160,803	162,157	165,165	76,516	138,177	5.8	5.9	5.9	2.7	4.9
At expanding establishments	132,356	138,096	135,150	61,269	98,631	4.8	5.0	4.8	2.2	3.5
At opening establishments	28,447	24,061	30,015	15,247	39,546	1.0	0.9	1.1	0.5	1.4
Gross job losses	155,186	137,669	152,886	116,184	127,186	5.6	5.0	5.5	4.2	4.6
At contracting establishments	132,499	116,035	133,309	91,214	103,023	4.8	4.2	4.8	3.3	3.7
At closing establishments	22,687	21,634	19,577	24,970	24,163	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.9	0.9
Net employment change (2)	5,617	24,488	12,279	-39,668	10,991	0.2	0.9	0.4	-1.5	0.3
Construction
Gross job gains	12,302	13,202	12,480	3,131	12,059	8.3	8.6	8.0	2.0	7.7
At expanding establishments	10,104	11,535	10,126	2,667	8,514	6.8	7.5	6.5	1.7	5.4
At opening establishments	2,198	1,667	2,354	464	3,545	1.5	1.1	1.5	0.3	2.3
Gross job losses	10,510	9,644	10,133	6,411	10,013	7.1	6.3	6.5	4.2	6.3
At contracting establishments	8,760	7,910	8,533	4,447	7,909	5.9	5.2	5.5	2.9	5.0
At closing establishments	1,750	1,734	1,600	1,964	2,104	1.2	1.1	1.0	1.3	1.3
Net employment change (2)	1,792	3,558	2,347	-3,280	2,046	1.2	2.3	1.5	-2.2	1.4
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	12,873	9,398	11,524	3,514	8,998	3.5	2.6	3.1	0.9	2.5
At expanding establishments	11,477	8,603	10,269	3,398	7,555	3.1	2.4	2.8	0.9	2.1
At opening establishments	1,396	795	1,255	116	1,443	0.4	0.2	0.3	0.0	0.4
Gross job losses	11,483	11,906	11,410	11,602	7,797	3.1	3.3	3.1	3.3	2.2
At contracting establishments	10,218	10,990	10,621	10,331	6,521	2.8	3.0	2.9	2.9	1.8
At closing establishments	1,265	916	789	1,271	1,276	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.4	0.4
Net employment change (2)	1,390	-2,508	114	-8,088	1,201	0.4	-0.7	0.0	-2.4	0.3
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	6,555	6,102	6,639	1,870	4,719	5.0	4.6	4.9	1.4	3.5
At expanding establishments	5,360	5,449	5,654	1,614	3,482	4.1	4.1	4.2	1.2	2.6
At opening establishments	1,195	653	985	256	1,237	0.9	0.5	0.7	0.2	0.9
Gross job losses	5,469	5,159	5,142	3,116	4,075	4.2	3.9	3.8	2.3	3.0
At contracting establishments	4,429	4,146	4,480	2,158	2,971	3.4	3.1	3.3	1.6	2.2
At closing establishments	1,040	1,013	662	958	1,104	0.8	0.8	0.5	0.7	0.8
Net employment change (2)	1,086	943	1,497	-1,246	644	0.8	0.7	1.1	-0.9	0.5
Retail trade
Gross job gains	18,821	17,544	20,506	12,679	17,404	5.5	5.1	5.9	3.7	5.1
At expanding establishments	16,666	15,814	17,430	11,297	13,307	4.9	4.6	5.0	3.3	3.9
At opening establishments	2,155	1,730	3,076	1,382	4,097	0.6	0.5	0.9	0.4	1.2
Gross job losses	17,905	15,133	20,735	18,270	18,216	5.2	4.5	5.9	5.3	5.3
At contracting establishments	15,794	13,236	18,540	16,224	15,444	4.6	3.9	5.3	4.7	4.5
At closing establishments	2,111	1,897	2,195	2,046	2,772	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.8
Net employment change (2)	916	2,411	-229	-5,591	-812	0.3	0.6	0.0	-1.6	-0.2
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	9,278	8,055	7,105	6,588	13,515	4.7	4.1	3.6	3.4	6.8
At expanding establishments	8,252	7,352	6,250	6,416	12,113	4.2	3.7	3.2	3.3	6.1
At opening establishments	1,026	703	855	172	1,402	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.1	0.7
Gross job losses	7,445	9,891	10,197	5,332	5,520	3.7	4.9	5.2	2.8	2.8
At contracting establishments	6,598	9,202	9,355	4,001	4,616	3.3	4.6	4.8	2.1	2.3
At closing establishments	847	689	842	1,331	904	0.4	0.3	0.4	0.7	0.5
Net employment change (2)	1,833	-1,836	-3,092	1,256	7,995	1.0	-0.8	-1.6	0.6	4.0
Information
Gross job gains	3,092	4,032	4,112	1,289	2,309	5.6	7.1	7.3	2.3	4.2
At expanding establishments	2,213	3,271	3,021	1,125	1,320	4.0	5.8	5.4	2.0	2.4
At opening establishments	879	761	1,091	164	989	1.6	1.3	1.9	0.3	1.8
Gross job losses	3,914	3,501	3,937	3,442	2,593	7.0	6.2	7.0	6.2	4.7
At contracting establishments	2,978	2,634	3,278	2,835	2,036	5.3	4.7	5.8	5.1	3.7
At closing establishments	936	867	659	607	557	1.7	1.5	1.2	1.1	1.0
Net employment change (2)	-822	531	175	-2,153	-284	-1.4	0.9	0.3	-3.9	-0.5
Financial activities
Gross job gains	7,958	8,746	8,701	3,184	6,331	4.8	5.2	5.1	1.9	3.7
At expanding establishments	6,153	7,285	7,177	2,360	4,321	3.7	4.3	4.2	1.4	2.5
At opening establishments	1,805	1,461	1,524	824	2,010	1.1	0.9	0.9	0.5	1.2
Gross job losses	8,545	7,192	7,204	7,730	6,799	5.1	4.2	4.3	4.6	4.0
At contracting establishments	6,997	5,606	5,556	6,062	5,253	4.2	3.3	3.3	3.6	3.1
At closing establishments	1,548	1,586	1,648	1,668	1,546	0.9	0.9	1.0	1.0	0.9
Net employment change (2)	-587	1,554	1,497	-4,546	-468	-0.3	1.0	0.8	-2.7	-0.3
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	29,601	32,061	31,890	9,319	23,235	6.4	7.0	6.9	2.0	5.1
At expanding establishments	24,089	28,120	25,873	8,231	16,092	5.2	6.1	5.6	1.8	3.5
At opening establishments	5,512	3,941	6,017	1,088	7,143	1.2	0.9	1.3	0.2	1.6
Gross job losses	39,580	28,169	31,140	24,293	30,151	8.5	6.1	6.7	5.3	6.6
At contracting establishments	33,984	22,915	27,268	18,555	24,726	7.3	5.0	5.9	4.0	5.4
At closing establishments	5,596	5,254	3,872	5,738	5,425	1.2	1.1	0.8	1.3	1.2
Net employment change (2)	-9,979	3,892	750	-14,974	-6,916	-2.1	0.9	0.2	-3.3	-1.5
Education and health services
Gross job gains	20,253	21,397	23,578	20,462	15,140	4.5	4.7	5.2	4.4	3.2
At expanding establishments	16,578	18,980	20,519	12,200	10,951	3.7	4.2	4.5	2.6	2.3
At opening establishments	3,675	2,417	3,059	8,262	4,189	0.8	0.5	0.7	1.8	0.9
Gross job losses	17,754	16,647	16,539	11,980	15,130	4.0	3.7	3.7	2.6	3.2
At contracting establishments	15,096	13,858	14,020	8,927	11,875	3.4	3.1	3.1	1.9	2.5
At closing establishments	2,658	2,789	2,519	3,053	3,255	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7
Net employment change (2)	2,499	4,750	7,039	8,482	10	0.5	1.0	1.5	1.8	0.0
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	30,043	29,846	27,613	11,217	25,402	8.5	8.3	7.6	3.1	6.9
At expanding establishments	24,621	25,617	22,439	9,677	16,493	7.0	7.1	6.2	2.7	4.5
At opening establishments	5,422	4,229	5,174	1,540	8,909	1.5	1.2	1.4	0.4	2.4
Gross job losses	24,813	23,267	28,937	16,381	21,078	7.0	6.5	8.0	4.6	5.8
At contracting establishments	21,665	20,132	25,588	11,810	17,214	6.1	5.6	7.1	3.3	4.7
At closing establishments	3,148	3,135	3,349	4,571	3,864	0.9	0.9	0.9	1.3	1.1
Net employment change (2)	5,230	6,579	-1,324	-5,164	4,324	1.5	1.8	-0.4	-1.5	1.1
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	5,616	5,577	5,715	1,514	4,890	7.4	7.3	7.4	2.0	6.3
At expanding establishments	4,481	4,448	4,423	1,136	3,177	5.9	5.8	5.7	1.5	4.1
At opening establishments	1,135	1,129	1,292	378	1,713	1.5	1.5	1.7	0.5	2.2
Gross job losses	5,694	4,927	4,944	5,303	3,758	7.5	6.4	6.4	6.9	4.8
At contracting establishments	4,456	4,004	4,174	4,051	2,902	5.9	5.2	5.4	5.3	3.7
At closing establishments	1,238	923	770	1,252	856	1.6	1.2	1.0	1.6	1.1
Net employment change (2)	-78	650	771	-3,789	1,132	-0.1	0.9	1.0	-4.9	1.5
Footnotes: (1) Includes unclassified sector not shown separately. (2) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. See the Technical Note for further information. (3) Except public administration.

Table 2. Private-sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted
Category	Gross job gains as a percent of employment (3 months ended)					Gross job losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
Category	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023
United States(1)	6.3	6.2	6.2	5.8	5.9	5.9	5.4	5.9	5.9	5.6
Alabama	6.6	6.4	5.9	5.9	6.2	6.1	5.5	5.7	6.0	5.8
Alaska	10.9	10.4	11.0	8.5	10.1	9.2	8.0	8.9	10.5	9.9
Arizona	6.6	5.9	7.0	6.7	6.6	6.0	5.4	6.5	5.9	6.9
Arkansas	6.2	5.8	5.8	5.6	6.1	5.2	5.0	6.0	5.7	5.3
California	6.6	6.1	6.7	6.2	6.3	6.6	6.4	6.4	6.5	6.5
Colorado	7.6	7.2	7.3	5.5	8.4	6.9	6.5	6.6	6.2	7.5
Connecticut	5.9	6.1	6.4	5.8	5.6	5.9	5.3	5.7	6.2	5.7
Delaware	7.0	6.7	6.0	6.0	6.2	7.5	5.2	5.7	6.5	5.9
District of Columbia	5.6	5.9	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.5	4.8	5.3	5.4	5.6
Florida	6.2	6.3	6.8	6.5	5.9	6.0	5.6	5.8	5.8	5.8
Georgia	6.7	6.2	6.4	6.1	6.1	5.9	5.8	6.5	6.1	5.7
Hawaii	6.0	5.5	5.7	5.3	6.1	4.9	5.0	5.2	6.9	5.0
Idaho	8.4	7.9	7.9	7.3	8.5	6.9	7.5	7.5	8.2	5.8
Illinois	5.4	5.8	5.4	4.8	4.9	5.1	4.8	5.3	5.5	5.1
Indiana	5.7	5.5	5.5	5.8	5.6	5.2	5.0	6.1	5.8	5.3
Iowa	6.4	6.0	6.0	5.5	6.0	6.2	5.4	5.9	5.8	5.7
Kansas	6.3	6.1	6.1	5.7	5.8	5.6	5.4	6.0	6.0	5.4
Kentucky	6.0	6.1	5.6	5.7	5.7	5.3	4.9	5.9	5.5	5.2
Louisiana	6.1	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.2	6.2	5.6	6.4	6.0	6.1
Maine	7.4	7.7	7.6	6.8	7.3	6.8	6.2	7.6	7.8	7.0
Maryland	6.6	6.8	6.7	6.4	6.3	6.9	5.6	6.3	6.5	5.9
Massachusetts	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.4	5.3	5.8	4.7	5.7	6.1	5.6
Michigan	5.9	5.7	5.9	5.2	5.5	5.2	4.9	5.3	5.9	5.6
Minnesota	5.9	5.7	6.0	3.1	6.8	5.8	4.9	5.6	4.2	7.0
Mississippi	6.8	6.1	6.3	6.2	6.1	6.2	5.7	6.6	6.2	5.7
Missouri	6.1	6.5	5.9	5.6	6.0	5.8	5.1	5.9	5.8	5.6
Montana	9.2	8.7	7.8	7.7	8.8	7.8	7.1	8.4	8.5	7.2
Nebraska	6.0	6.3	6.0	6.0	5.9	5.7	5.1	5.6	5.9	5.6
Nevada	6.4	6.2	6.6	6.5	6.6	6.1	5.7	6.0	5.5	5.1
New Hampshire	6.7	7.0	6.7	5.9	6.2	6.0	5.9	6.3	6.7	5.9
New Jersey	6.8	6.1	6.8	5.9	5.9	5.9	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.8
New Mexico	6.7	6.8	6.4	6.1	6.9	6.2	5.9	6.2	6.7	5.8
New York	5.9	6.5	6.3	5.8	5.8	6.0	5.1	5.7	6.1	5.7
North Carolina	6.6	6.4	6.1	5.6	6.1	5.7	5.3	5.7	6.2	4.7
North Dakota	6.4	7.6	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.7	5.6	6.7	6.6	6.3
Ohio	5.9	5.8	5.6	5.2	5.3	5.7	4.9	5.7	5.7	5.2
Oklahoma	6.6	6.3	6.2	6.2	6.1	5.9	5.3	6.0	6.0	5.7
Oregon	6.5	7.3	6.4	6.1	6.1	6.2	6.1	6.9	6.9	6.3
Pennsylvania	5.5	5.5	5.2	5.2	5.2	5.2	4.6	5.5	5.2	4.9
Rhode Island	6.9	7.5	6.7	6.5	6.8	6.4	5.9	7.0	6.8	6.4
South Carolina	6.9	6.8	6.4	6.8	6.2	6.2	5.8	6.8	5.7	5.4
South Dakota	6.5	7.2	6.8	6.3	6.6	6.5	5.9	6.2	6.3	5.9
Tennessee	5.8	5.9	5.9	2.7	4.9	5.6	5.0	5.5	4.2	4.6
Texas	6.2	5.9	5.8	5.7	5.7	5.3	5.0	5.4	5.5	5.2
Utah	6.9	7.0	6.8	6.8	6.4	6.6	6.2	6.2	6.5	6.2
Vermont	7.8	8.2	7.4	6.3	7.2	7.0	6.0	7.5	8.0	6.6
Virginia	6.2	6.2	6.0	5.8	5.9	5.8	5.2	5.8	6.0	5.6
Washington	5.9	6.4	6.0	5.4	6.0	5.3	5.5	5.6	6.0	5.2
West Virginia	6.6	7.1	6.1	6.5	6.1	6.4	5.3	6.1	6.5	6.5
Wisconsin	6.0	6.0	5.6	5.2	5.4	5.5	4.9	5.9	5.9	5.1
Wyoming	9.2	8.9	8.4	8.2	8.8	7.9	7.8	8.7	8.2	8.3
Puerto Rico	6.6	5.1	5.8	5.7	4.9	6.1	5.7	4.9	5.4	4.8
Virgin Islands	5.9	7.5	7.4	8.2	5.7	4.7	6.5	6.8	7.1	5.8
Footnotes (1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. The sum of the states will not necessarily add to the U.S. total because of the independent seasonal adjustment of each state.

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Southeast Information Office

Business Employment Dynamics in Tennessee — Fourth Quarter 2023