Jobs, pay and daily life in Jackson, 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.
Jackson is a city in Tennessee with 68,435 residents. The median household earns $53,032 a year and the median rent is $1,145 a month, which is 25.9% of the median household income. It is part of the Jackson, TN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 84,530 jobs.
How Jackson compares. Among the 80 largest places in Tennessee, Jackson is #9 by population, #65 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #19 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #58 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Madison County, is #19 of 95 counties for average pay ($58,054).
Jackson has 68,435 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.0% of the population of Tennessee. It covers 59 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,165 people per square mile. The median age is 35.5, 9% younger than the state median (35.5 against 38.9).
The median gross rent is $1,145 a month (rent plus utilities), 4% below the state median ($1,145 against $1,189). Over a year that is 25.9% 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 $217,800, which is 4.1 times the median household income ($53,032). 51.2% of households own their home, 23% below the state average (51.2% against 66.9%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Jackson, TN metropolitan area has 84,530 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $44,790 a year, 12% below the national median ($44,790 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (11,040 jobs, median $45,250); office and administrative support (9,920 jobs, median $42,750); transportation and material moving (9,240 jobs, median $39,550). The area is most specialised in production (2.4 times) and transportation and material moving (1.2 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 ($65,370) and production ($45,250). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Madison County was 3.8%. 61.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Madison County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 71.7% drive alone, 1.0% use public transit, 3.0% walk, 9.7% work from home. 8.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 46% below the state average (8.2% against 15.2%).
27.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 11% below the state share (27.8% against 31.1%). 3.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 36% below the state share (3.9% against 6.1%). The poverty rate is 22.2%, 62% above the state rate (22.2% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 37°F (2.9°C). About 1,419 mm (56 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (141 mm) and Sep the driest (97 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: Milan (18 miles, rent 30% lower); Brownsville (24 miles, rent 33% lower); Lexington (26 miles, rent 37% lower); Dyersburg (41 miles, rent 32% lower). Rent differences are against Jackson; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Tennessee (395) →State guide: TennesseeCountry guideMadison 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,410 | 1.50 | $36,710 | $29,780 | $46,560 | -9% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,390 | 1.13 | $30,990 | $22,660 | $47,150 | -12% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,370 | 1.13 | $26,360 | $21,520 | $33,220 | -16% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,280 | 0.97 | $31,120 | $28,030 | $36,170 | -13% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,930 | 1.05 | $75,610 | $57,840 | $91,680 | -22% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,890 | 2.48 | $40,340 | $33,710 | $48,500 | -10% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,870 | 1.67 | $55,160 | $37,530 | $76,110 | -6% |
| Cashiers | 1,780 | 1.06 | $27,690 | $19,940 | $33,440 | -16% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,470 | 0.95 | $34,410 | $29,070 | $46,470 | -8% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,220 | 0.64 | $98,040 | $48,490 | $210,440 | -7% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,170 | 0.87 | $37,750 | $23,970 | $55,280 | -16% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,080 | 1.38 | $36,900 | $29,800 | $39,880 | -13% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,080 | 2.07 | $38,100 | $29,790 | $55,430 | -17% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,040 | 1.25 | $48,080 | $32,220 | $65,140 | -3% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,040 | 1.33 | $61,270 | $40,550 | $98,230 | -12% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 970 | 0.69 | $38,680 | $29,790 | $55,950 | -14% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 930 | 0.76 | $20,490 | $15,080 | $45,530 | -42% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 890 | 1.18 | $51,470 | $42,850 | $63,530 | -20% |
| Production Workers, All Other | 870 | 6.33 | $45,500 | $32,030 | $60,000 | +13% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 850 | 1.10 | $29,190 | $22,680 | $39,320 | -21% |
These figures are for the whole Jackson, TN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $44,790 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.2% |
| Manufacturing | 16.5% |
| Retail trade | 11.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 5.5% |
| Other services | 4.9% |
| Construction | 3.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.5% |
| Public administration | 3.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.4% |
| Information | 0.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Jackson 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County | 99,295 | $8,548 million | $86,088 | 60,967 | 2,988 | $58,054 | +0.2% | 3.8% | 45,324 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 10,624 | 22.9% | $73,830 | 2.12 |
| Health care and social assistance | 7,964 | 17.1% | $57,824 | 0.91 |
| Retail trade | 6,790 | 14.6% | $38,752 | 1.12 |
| Accommodation and food services | 5,298 | 11.4% | $23,400 | 0.96 |
| Administrative and waste services | 3,986 | 8.6% | $37,805 | 1.11 |
| Construction | 2,801 | 6.0% | $84,136 | 0.88 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,505 | 5.4% | $76,593 | 1.04 |
| Educational services | 1,427 | 3.1% | $43,497 | 1.13 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,237 | 2.7% | $75,024 | 0.50 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,122 | 2.4% | $75,474 | 0.26 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,016 | 2.2% | $52,304 | 0.55 |
| Real estate and rental | 670 | 1.4% | $53,618 | 0.71 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 471 | 1.0% | $16,391 | 0.46 |
| Information | 469 | 1.0% | $57,220 | 0.41 |
| Management of companies | 103 | 0.2% | $75,450 | 0.10 |
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 | 71.7% |
| Public transit | 1.0% |
| Walk | 3.0% |
| Work from home | 9.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,032 |
| Income per person | $31,372 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,145 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 25.9% |
| Median home value | $217,800 |
| Homeowners | 51.2% |
| Poverty rate | 22.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 85.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $44,790 |
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 | 35.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 90.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 27.8% |
| Born abroad | 3.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 61.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.9 | 37 | 104 |
| Feb | 4.8 | 41 | 132 |
| Mar | 10.1 | 50 | 134 |
| Apr | 15.4 | 60 | 137 |
| May | 20.2 | 68 | 141 |
| Jun | 24.7 | 76 | 106 |
| Jul | 26.6 | 80 | 114 |
| Aug | 26.6 | 80 | 100 |
| Sep | 23.0 | 73 | 97 |
| Oct | 16.2 | 61 | 110 |
| Nov | 9.5 | 49 | 107 |
| Dec | 4.8 | 41 | 137 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milan | TN | 18 mi | 8,244 | $43,886 | $805 |
| Brownsville | TN | 24 mi | 9,622 | $43,494 | $767 |
| Lexington | TN | 26 mi | 7,962 | $49,057 | $720 |
| Dyersburg | TN | 41 mi | 15,979 | $52,064 | $782 |
| Covington | TN | 46 mi | 8,587 | $42,254 | $933 |
| Martin | TN | 47 mi | 10,915 | $43,381 | $859 |
| Oakland | TN | 49 mi | 9,979 | $97,798 | $1,992 |
| Corinth | MS | 52 mi | 14,323 | $44,226 | $601 |
| Paris | TN | 53 mi | 10,338 | $41,012 | $780 |
| Arlington | TN | 54 mi | 15,205 | $135,105 | $2,164 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
68,435 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,145 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 25.9% of the median household income.
$53,032 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.8% (BLS county, Madison County (latest month 2026M09)).
Tennessee. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.