Employment declined in 5 of the 6 largest counties in Tennessee from March 2025 to March 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Tennessee employment decreased 0.2 percent over the year to 3,254,100 in March 2026, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. (See table 1.) Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that Shelby County (-2.1 percent) had the largest over-the-year decrease in employment. (See chart 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Tennessee, March 2026

County	Percent change, March 2026
Shelby	-2.1
Hamilton	-1.6
Rutherford	-1.0
Knox	-0.7
Davidson	-0.3
Williamson	1.2

Davidson County (543,800) had the highest employment level in Tennessee in March 2026. Together, the six largest counties accounted for 54.6 percent of total covered employment within the state. Nationwide, the 376 largest counties comprise 73.5 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2025.)

Average weekly wage gains in 4 of the 6 large counties in Tennessee were below the national average of 3.9 percent. (See chart 2.) Davidson had the largest gain (+6.6 percent). Over-the-year wage gains among the other five large Tennessee counties ranged from 5.7 percent to 2.6 percent.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Tennessee, first quarter 2026

County	Percent change, first quarter 2026
Davidson	6.6
Rutherford	5.7
Hamilton	3.4
Shelby	3.2
Knox	2.7
Williamson	2.6

Weekly wages in 2 of the 6 largest counties in Tennessee were above the national average of $1,654: Williamson ($1,887) and Davidson ($1,811). Average weekly wages among the other four large counties ranged from $1,485 in Shelby to $1,316 in Knox.

Statewide, average weekly wages increased 4.4 percent over the year to $1,426. Tennessee ranked 25th in average weekly wages among the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 12th in wage growth.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 89 smaller counties in Tennessee, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2025. (See table 2.)  Wage levels in 88 of the 89 smaller counties were below the national average. Roane reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,703) among small counties. Hancock reported the lowest average weekly wage ($718) in the state.

Among all 95 Tennessee counties, 13 reported average weekly wages less than $875, 21 had wages from $875 to $974, 24 had wages from $975 to $1,074, 17 had wages from $1,075 to $1,174, and 20 had average weekly wages of $1,175 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)