Jobs, pay and daily life in Elizabethton, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Elizabethton is a city in Tennessee with 14,374 residents. The median household earns $46,975 a year and the median rent is $740 a month, which is 18.9% of the median household income. It is part of the Johnson City, TN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 81,690 jobs.
How Elizabethton compares. Among the 80 largest places in Tennessee, Elizabethton is #44 by population, #4 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #74 for household income (#1 = highest), #30 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Carter County, is #66 of 95 counties for average pay ($47,576).
Elizabethton has 14,374 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Tennessee. It covers 10 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,505 people per square mile. The median age is 40.9, 5% older than the state median (40.9 against 38.9).
The median gross rent is $740 a month (rent plus utilities), 38% below the state median ($740 against $1,189). Over a year that is 18.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $172,900, which is 3.7 times the median household income ($46,975); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 62.6% of households own their home, 6% below the state average (62.6% against 66.9%).
The Johnson City, TN metropolitan area has 81,690 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $43,480 a year, 15% below the national median ($43,480 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (12,200 jobs, median $40,060); food preparation and serving related (9,340 jobs, median $27,350); healthcare practitioners and technical (8,310 jobs, median $76,110). The area is most specialised in healthcare practitioners and technical (1.6 times) and office and administrative support (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($76,110) and educational instruction and library ($60,180). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Carter County was 3.5%. 52.1% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Carter County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 77.7% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 3.4% walk, 10.8% work from home. 9.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 35% below the state average (9.9% against 15.2%).
26.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 15% below the state share (26.4% against 31.1%). 2.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 64% below the state share (2.2% against 6.1%). The poverty rate is 18.8%, 37% above the state rate (18.8% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 75°F (23.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 34°F (1.0°C). About 1,164 mm (46 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (130 mm) and Oct the driest (78 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Johnson City (8 miles, rent 38% higher); Bristol (15 miles, rent 14% higher); Bristol (20 miles, rent 8% higher); Kingsport (21 miles, rent 23% higher). Rent differences are against Elizabethton; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Tennessee (395) →State guide: TennesseeCountry guideCarter CountyTennessee rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 395 federal postings open in Tennessee (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Tennessee →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,900 | 1.43 | $26,270 | $21,520 | $33,610 | -16% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,740 | 1.54 | $77,660 | $61,380 | $117,770 | -20% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,330 | 1.14 | $29,820 | $22,590 | $46,190 | -16% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,940 | 1.42 | $36,570 | $29,520 | $49,060 | -18% |
| Cashiers | 1,920 | 1.18 | $27,160 | $20,750 | $33,930 | -17% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,580 | 3.12 | $36,570 | $30,450 | $47,130 | -20% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,510 | 1.17 | $36,420 | $26,620 | $53,840 | -19% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,460 | 1.22 | $22,070 | $15,080 | $45,180 | -37% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,420 | 1.89 | $59,420 | $40,020 | $90,080 | -15% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,390 | 0.94 | $32,100 | $28,490 | $45,160 | -14% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,390 | 1.83 | $37,310 | $29,510 | $43,830 | -12% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,340 | 0.86 | $35,930 | $28,470 | $45,740 | -11% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,280 | 0.69 | $93,200 | $45,130 | $207,290 | -12% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,260 | 1.71 | $43,480 | $32,210 | $44,730 | -3% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,030 | 1.15 | $40,060 | $28,800 | $56,930 | -16% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 980 | 1.53 | $36,800 | $27,950 | $59,550 | -17% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 950 | 0.82 | $30,420 | $23,160 | $43,720 | -17% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 930 | 0.41 | $29,360 | $27,050 | $35,280 | -18% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 870 | 1.21 | $40,700 | $29,650 | $58,990 | -20% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 850 | 0.78 | $47,670 | $36,350 | $68,010 | -19% |
These figures are for the whole Johnson City, TN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $43,480 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.1% |
| Retail trade | 12.6% |
| Other services | 11.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.4% |
| Manufacturing | 9.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.2% |
| Construction | 3.7% |
| Public administration | 3.2% |
| Information | 2.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.8% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Elizabethton lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter County | 56,712 | $1,556 million | $27,439 | 12,025 | 880 | $47,576 | +1.6% | 3.5% | 23,996 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,816 | 29.5% | $29,661 | 1.51 |
| Manufacturing | 1,682 | 27.3% | $56,468 | 1.70 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,416 | 23.0% | $19,665 | 1.30 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 337 | 5.5% | $48,508 | 0.93 |
| Finance and insurance | 302 | 4.9% | $75,739 | 0.62 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 174 | 2.8% | $31,368 | 0.86 |
| Wholesale trade | 160 | 2.6% | $72,027 | 0.34 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 152 | 2.5% | $60,888 | 0.30 |
| Real estate and rental | 72 | 1.2% | $40,918 | 0.39 |
| Information | 35 | 0.6% | $54,006 | 0.16 |
| Utilities | 18 | 0.3% | $45,858 | 0.39 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 77.7% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 3.4% |
| Work from home | 10.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,975 |
| Income per person | $30,387 |
| Median gross rent per month | $740 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.9% |
| Median home value | $172,900 |
| Homeowners | 62.6% |
| Poverty rate | 18.8% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 87.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $43,480 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 26.4% |
| Born abroad | 2.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 52.1% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1.0 | 34 | 86 |
| Feb | 2.9 | 37 | 95 |
| Mar | 7.5 | 46 | 95 |
| Apr | 12.9 | 55 | 108 |
| May | 17.6 | 64 | 104 |
| Jun | 22.0 | 72 | 104 |
| Jul | 23.8 | 75 | 130 |
| Aug | 23.6 | 74 | 98 |
| Sep | 20.4 | 69 | 86 |
| Oct | 13.9 | 57 | 78 |
| Nov | 7.5 | 46 | 82 |
| Dec | 3.2 | 38 | 98 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson City | TN | 8 mi | 72,222 | $57,254 | $1,023 |
| Bristol | TN | 15 mi | 27,636 | $58,162 | $842 |
| Bristol | VA | 20 mi | 16,849 | $50,404 | $801 |
| Kingsport | TN | 21 mi | 56,262 | $52,490 | $907 |
| Bloomingdale | TN | 22 mi | 9,292 | $52,317 | $836 |
| Boone | NC | 33 mi | 20,032 | $30,065 | $1,111 |
| Greeneville | TN | 35 mi | 15,646 | $49,889 | $650 |
| Lenoir | NC | 50 mi | 18,299 | $49,910 | $664 |
| Morganton | NC | 51 mi | 17,646 | $51,355 | $944 |
| Asheville | NC | 56 mi | 94,535 | $71,102 | $1,402 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
14,374 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$740 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.9% of the median household income.
$46,975 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.5% (BLS county, Carter County (latest month 2026M09)).
Tennessee. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.