ATLANTA -- Employment rose in each of Tennessee's six largest counties from March 2018 to March 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS) reported Wednesday. The USBLS qualifies large counties as those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2018.
USBLS Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that employment gains ranged from 4.0 percent in Williamson County to 1.2 percent in Shelby County.
Among the largest counties in Tennessee, employment was highest in Davidson County (503,700) in March 2019, followed by Shelby County (498,300).
Together, Tennessee's six largest counties accounted for 57.2 percent of total employment within the state.
Average weekly wages increased in four of Tennessee's six largest counties from the first quarter of 2018 to the first quarter of 2019. Williamson County (7.4 percent) had the largest over-the-year wage gain, followed by Rutherford County (5.1 percent).
Williamson County had the highest average weekly wage among the state's largest counties at $1,389, followed by Davidson County at $1,222. Nationally, the average weekly wage increased 2.8 percent over the year, growing to $1,184 in the first quarter of 2019.
Employment and wage levels are also available for the 89 counties in Tennessee with 2018 average annual employment levels below 75,000. Average weekly wages in these counties ranged from $1,342 to $504.
Large County Wage Changes
In the first quarter of 2019, four of Tennessee's six largest counties had over-the-year wage gains above the national average of 2.8 percent. Williamson County (7.4 percent) had the highest wage gain and ranked fifth among the 355 largest counties nationwide.
In contrast, Knox and Davidson counties had over-the-year wage declines, down 2.7 and 0.5 percent, respectively.
Large County Average Weekly Wages
Average weekly wages in three of Tennessee's six largest counties placed in the top half of the national ranking among the 355 largest counties in the first quarter of 2019. Williamson and Davidson counties had average weekly wages above the U.S. average of $1,184 and ranked in the top 100 nationwide at 43rd and 80th, respectively. Shelby County ($1,104) ranked 130th.
Average Weekly Wages in Tennessee's Smaller Counties
Among the 89 smaller counties in Tennessee, only Roane County ($1,342) had an average weekly wage above the national average of $1,184. Hancock County reported the lowest average weekly in the state, averaging $504 in the first quarter of 2019.
When all 95 counties in Tennessee were considered, seven reported average weekly wages below $600, 26 had wages from $600 to $699, 35 had wages from $700 to $799, 14 had wages from $800 to $899, and 13 had wages at or above $900.