Jobs, pay and daily life in Jefferson City, 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.
Jefferson City is a city in Tennessee with 8,579 residents. The median household earns $60,638 a year and the median rent is $851 a month, which is 16.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Morristown, TN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 47,290 jobs.
How Jefferson City compares. Among the 80 largest places in Tennessee, Jefferson City is #75 by population, #78 for remote work (#1 = most), #67 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #16 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Jefferson County, is #26 of 95 counties for average pay ($55,672).
Jefferson City has 8,579 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.1% of the population of Tennessee. It covers 7 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,223 people per square mile. The median age is 33.7, 13% younger than the state median (33.7 against 38.9).
The median gross rent is $851 a month (rent plus utilities), 28% below the state median ($851 against $1,189). Over a year that is 16.8% 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 $213,200, which is 3.5 times the median household income ($60,638); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 51.1% of households own their home, 24% below the state average (51.1% against 66.9%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Morristown, TN metropolitan area has 47,290 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $44,280 a year, 13% below the national median ($44,280 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are production (8,180 jobs, median $43,040); transportation and material moving (6,070 jobs, median $40,280); office and administrative support (5,140 jobs, median $41,350). The area is most specialised in production (3.1 times) and transportation and material moving (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are production ($43,040) and office and administrative support ($41,350). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Jefferson County was 3.1%. 66.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Jefferson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 91.0% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 2.3% walk, 2.8% work from home. 19.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 25% above the state average (19.0% against 15.2%).
19.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 37% below the state share (19.6% against 31.1%). 3.2% of residents were born outside the United States, 47% below the state share (3.2% against 6.1%). The poverty rate is 19.0%, 38% above the state rate (19.0% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (25.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 36°F (2.4°C). About 1,308 mm (51 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (140 mm) and Oct the driest (83 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: Morristown (12 miles, rent 4% higher); Sevierville (17 miles, rent 27% higher); Seymour (23 miles, rent 78% higher); Halls (25 miles, rent 38% higher). Rent differences are against Jefferson City; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Tennessee (395) →State guide: TennesseeCountry guideJefferson 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 | 1,590 | 1.35 | $26,530 | $21,690 | $33,130 | -15% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,530 | 3.58 | $42,890 | $33,250 | $58,480 | -4% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,510 | 1.69 | $39,550 | $29,920 | $66,460 | -2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,470 | 2.34 | $67,330 | $43,700 | $75,290 | +15% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,190 | 1.00 | $31,750 | $22,370 | $48,680 | -10% |
| Cashiers | 1,100 | 1.17 | $28,120 | $21,340 | $34,260 | -14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,090 | 1.27 | $31,000 | $27,970 | $43,720 | -17% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 740 | 0.94 | $37,570 | $29,120 | $58,280 | -16% |
| Registered Nurses | 710 | 0.69 | $75,680 | $57,160 | $93,460 | -22% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 710 | 1.53 | $48,720 | $28,560 | $65,610 | -2% |
| General and Operations Managers | 670 | 0.63 | $93,420 | $46,520 | $195,470 | -12% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 670 | 3.69 | $39,710 | $35,610 | $64,040 | -18% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 630 | 0.91 | $27,370 | $15,080 | $46,780 | -22% |
| Office Clerks, General | 570 | 0.76 | $35,680 | $25,840 | $55,120 | -21% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 560 | 1.92 | $36,860 | $30,480 | $50,770 | -20% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 550 | 2.70 | $69,450 | $44,840 | $102,460 | -7% |
| Construction Laborers | 520 | 1.54 | $38,400 | $33,470 | $52,730 | -19% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 500 | 1.15 | $59,790 | $38,330 | $95,440 | -14% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 470 | 0.36 | $30,040 | $27,440 | $36,510 | -16% |
| Helpers--Production Workers | 460 | 9.07 | $37,700 | $30,000 | $47,370 | -4% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 670 | 0.63 | $93,420 | $46,520 | $195,470 | -12% |
| Registered Nurses | 710 | 0.69 | $75,680 | $57,160 | $93,460 | -22% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 550 | 2.70 | $69,450 | $44,840 | $102,460 | -7% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,470 | 2.34 | $67,330 | $43,700 | $75,290 | +15% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 500 | 1.15 | $59,790 | $38,330 | $95,440 | -14% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 710 | 1.53 | $48,720 | $28,560 | $65,610 | -2% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 1,530 | 3.58 | $42,890 | $33,250 | $58,480 | -4% |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | 670 | 3.69 | $39,710 | $35,610 | $64,040 | -18% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,510 | 1.69 | $39,550 | $29,920 | $66,460 | -2% |
| Construction Laborers | 520 | 1.54 | $38,400 | $33,470 | $52,730 | -19% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 740 | 0.94 | $37,570 | $29,120 | $58,280 | -16% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 560 | 1.92 | $36,860 | $30,480 | $50,770 | -20% |
| Office Clerks, General | 570 | 0.76 | $35,680 | $25,840 | $55,120 | -21% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,190 | 1.00 | $31,750 | $22,370 | $48,680 | -10% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,090 | 1.27 | $31,000 | $27,970 | $43,720 | -17% |
| Cashiers | 1,100 | 1.17 | $28,120 | $21,340 | $34,260 | -14% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 630 | 0.91 | $27,370 | $15,080 | $46,780 | -22% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,590 | 1.35 | $26,530 | $21,690 | $33,130 | -15% |
These figures are for the whole Morristown, TN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $44,280 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.3% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Retail trade | 26.9% |
| Education and health care | 16.4% |
| Manufacturing | 15.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.9% |
| Construction | 7.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 4.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.6% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.8% |
| Other services | 3.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.1% |
| Information | 1.8% |
| Public administration | 1.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Jefferson City 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 56,864 | $2,446 million | $43,008 | 14,061 | 1,038 | $55,672 | +1.2% | 3.1% | 26,249 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,084 | 25.5% | $86,939 | 1.80 |
| Retail trade | 1,809 | 22.1% | $35,495 | 1.29 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,433 | 17.5% | $76,692 | 2.41 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,288 | 15.8% | $21,582 | 1.01 |
| Administrative and waste services | 396 | 4.8% | $36,599 | 0.48 |
| Professional and technical services | 361 | 4.4% | $51,594 | 0.37 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 340 | 4.2% | $48,400 | 0.80 |
| Finance and insurance | 215 | 2.6% | $59,278 | 0.38 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 108 | 1.3% | $19,187 | 0.46 |
| Real estate and rental | 66 | 0.8% | $148,708 | 0.30 |
| Information | 58 | 0.7% | $80,317 | 0.22 |
| Management of companies | 14 | 0.2% | $85,442 | 0.06 |
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 | 91.0% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 2.3% |
| Work from home | 2.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 19.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,638 |
| Income per person | $28,803 |
| Median gross rent per month | $851 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 16.8% |
| Median home value | $213,200 |
| Homeowners | 51.1% |
| Poverty rate | 19.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 86.4 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $44,280 |
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 | 33.7 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 19.6% |
| Born abroad | 3.2% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 66.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.4 | 36 | 106 |
| Feb | 4.4 | 40 | 121 |
| Mar | 8.9 | 48 | 110 |
| Apr | 14.2 | 58 | 118 |
| May | 18.9 | 66 | 104 |
| Jun | 23.3 | 74 | 110 |
| Jul | 25.0 | 77 | 140 |
| Aug | 24.9 | 77 | 94 |
| Sep | 21.6 | 71 | 98 |
| Oct | 15.2 | 59 | 83 |
| Nov | 8.7 | 48 | 100 |
| Dec | 4.5 | 40 | 124 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morristown | TN | 12 mi | 31,527 | $47,917 | $882 |
| Sevierville | TN | 17 mi | 18,397 | $52,421 | $1,081 |
| Seymour | TN | 23 mi | 16,216 | $82,855 | $1,515 |
| Halls | TN | 25 mi | 10,272 | $90,933 | $1,178 |
| Knoxville | TN | 28 mi | 195,185 | $54,039 | $1,191 |
| Powell | TN | 31 mi | 13,739 | $82,434 | $1,276 |
| Alcoa | TN | 34 mi | 12,222 | $65,714 | $1,282 |
| Clinton | TN | 36 mi | 10,239 | $68,882 | $962 |
| Middlesborough | KY | 37 mi | 9,123 | $31,106 | $598 |
| Greeneville | TN | 37 mi | 15,646 | $49,889 | $650 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
8,579 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$851 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 16.8% of the median household income.
$60,638 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.1% (BLS county, Jefferson County (latest month 2026M09)).
Tennessee. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.