Jobs, pay and daily life in Oak Ridge, 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.
Oak Ridge is a city in Tennessee with 32,693 residents. The median household earns $72,311 a year and the median rent is $1,131 a month, which is 18.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Knoxville, TN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 424,600 jobs.
How Oak Ridge compares. Among the 80 largest places in Tennessee, Oak Ridge is #25 by population, #18 for remote work (#1 = most), #19 for college degrees (#1 = most), #23 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Anderson County, is #4 of 95 counties for average pay ($79,878).
Oak Ridge has 32,693 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.5% of the population of Tennessee. It covers 85 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 383 people per square mile. The median age is 39.3, about the same as the state median (39.3 against 38.9).
The median gross rent is $1,131 a month (rent plus utilities), 5% below the state median ($1,131 against $1,189). Over a year that is 18.8% 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 $270,200, which is 3.7 times the median household income ($72,311); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 65.8% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (65.8% against 66.9%).
The Knoxville, TN metropolitan area has 424,600 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,080 a year, 8% below the national median ($47,080 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (54,140 jobs, median $44,360); food preparation and serving related (41,330 jobs, median $29,030); transportation and material moving (41,230 jobs, median $39,460). The area is most specialised in production (1.4 times) and architecture and engineering (1.2 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($109,880) and computer and mathematical ($84,710). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Anderson County was 3.1%. 59.5% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Anderson County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 70.8% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.7% walk, 16.3% work from home. 8.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 44% below the state average (8.6% against 15.2%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
40.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 30% above the state share (40.2% against 31.1%). 5.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 5% below the state share (5.8% against 6.1%). The poverty rate is 12.2%, 11% below the state rate (12.2% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 77°F (25.2°C), and the coolest is Jan at 36°F (2.2°C). About 1,383 mm (54 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (146 mm) and Oct the driest (86 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: Farragut (9 miles, rent 74% higher); Lenoir City (10 miles, rent 18% lower); Clinton (13 miles, rent 15% lower); Powell (15 miles, rent 13% higher). Rent differences are against Oak Ridge; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Tennessee (395) →State guide: TennesseeCountry guideAnderson 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 | 12,730 | 1.21 | $27,720 | $22,630 | $35,700 | -11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 12,430 | 1.17 | $31,150 | $23,350 | $47,520 | -12% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 10,120 | 1.26 | $37,400 | $29,580 | $48,550 | -7% |
| Registered Nurses | 9,500 | 1.03 | $77,240 | $57,070 | $97,360 | -21% |
| General and Operations Managers | 8,660 | 0.91 | $104,590 | $51,410 | $253,540 | -1% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 8,130 | 1.44 | $59,100 | $39,670 | $79,040 | +1% |
| Cashiers | 8,030 | 0.95 | $29,110 | $21,680 | $34,890 | -11% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 7,730 | 1.00 | $35,410 | $30,010 | $47,360 | -5% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 7,260 | 1.17 | $28,100 | $15,080 | $47,790 | -20% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 7,150 | 1.18 | $31,200 | $25,230 | $43,110 | -15% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 6,640 | 0.94 | $38,840 | $29,650 | $60,300 | -13% |
| Office Clerks, General | 6,460 | 0.96 | $37,920 | $26,120 | $55,400 | -16% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 6,280 | 2.39 | $38,420 | $31,750 | $58,120 | -16% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 6,170 | 1.57 | $63,580 | $43,010 | $102,940 | -9% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 5,940 | 1.55 | $39,220 | $34,450 | $48,460 | -12% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 4,790 | 1.03 | $46,000 | $29,730 | $64,390 | -3% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 4,640 | 1.11 | $46,170 | $33,900 | $65,270 | -7% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 4,610 | 0.39 | $32,710 | $28,430 | $36,290 | -9% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 4,510 | 1.20 | $47,320 | $35,160 | $65,090 | -7% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 4,150 | 1.24 | $41,380 | $30,210 | $63,170 | -6% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | 590 | 1.99 | $460,080 | $189,830 | $621,030 | +88% |
| Physicians, All Other | 690 | 0.74 | $276,370 | $170,090 | $508,910 | +4% |
| Chief Executives | 510 | 0.92 | $198,890 | $66,940 | $444,320 | -7% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 610 | 1.02 | $162,950 | $99,400 | $239,560 | -5% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,380 | 0.75 | $143,650 | $95,610 | $219,970 | -18% |
| Financial Managers | 2,090 | 0.91 | $133,570 | $63,900 | $262,970 | -20% |
| Pharmacists | 990 | 1.12 | $132,460 | $85,160 | $159,200 | -6% |
| Human Resources Managers | 530 | 0.88 | $132,200 | $83,290 | $233,640 | -11% |
| Marketing Managers | 930 | 0.86 | $131,040 | $79,410 | $258,450 | -21% |
| Lawyers | 1,250 | 0.61 | $126,520 | $77,800 | $263,220 | -21% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 990 | 1.37 | $125,470 | $77,030 | $202,810 | +10% |
| Software Developers | 2,390 | 0.52 | $121,750 | $68,880 | $161,870 | -10% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 750 | 1.12 | $120,020 | $76,900 | $202,600 | -5% |
| Sales Managers | 1,410 | 0.81 | $119,380 | $68,510 | $234,160 | -19% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,630 | 1.85 | $109,740 | $85,210 | $135,170 | -17% |
| Electrical Engineers | 630 | 1.16 | $108,590 | $75,120 | $166,210 | -10% |
| General and Operations Managers | 8,660 | 0.91 | $104,590 | $51,410 | $253,540 | -1% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,880 | 1.15 | $104,250 | $67,290 | $191,990 | -16% |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 640 | 1.36 | $102,720 | $59,680 | $153,770 | -1% |
| Managers, All Other | 2,430 | 1.43 | $101,930 | $52,110 | $175,760 | -28% |
These figures are for the whole Knoxville, TN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,080 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 19.7% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 18.9% |
| Retail trade | 12.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 8.7% |
| Construction | 8.6% |
| Manufacturing | 8.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.3% |
| Other services | 5.5% |
| Public administration | 4.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.9% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Oak Ridge lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Roane County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson County | 79,153 | $7,858 million | $99,273 | 46,052 | 2,081 | $79,878 | +2.8% | 3.1% | 36,422 |
| Roane County | 55,208 | $3,536 million | $64,042 | 19,050 | 1,053 | $82,676 | -5.7% | 3.3% | 24,827 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 14,852 | 36.3% | $101,165 | 3.93 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,885 | 12.0% | $61,681 | 0.74 |
| Administrative and waste services | 4,340 | 10.6% | $89,451 | 1.60 |
| Professional and technical services | 4,196 | 10.3% | $118,352 | 1.31 |
| Retail trade | 3,678 | 9.0% | $37,728 | 0.80 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,383 | 8.3% | $22,829 | 0.81 |
| Construction | 1,938 | 4.7% | $80,224 | 0.80 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,235 | 3.0% | $96,357 | 0.66 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 964 | 2.4% | $63,421 | 0.49 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 645 | 1.6% | $49,082 | 0.47 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 255 | 0.6% | $26,801 | 0.33 |
| Real estate and rental | 241 | 0.6% | $58,305 | 0.34 |
| Information | 165 | 0.4% | $76,583 | 0.19 |
| Management of companies | 47 | 0.1% | $118,652 | 0.06 |
| Educational services | 39 | 0.1% | $43,910 | 0.04 |
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 | 70.8% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.7% |
| Work from home | 16.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,311 |
| Income per person | $42,285 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,131 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.8% |
| Median home value | $270,200 |
| Homeowners | 65.8% |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,080 |
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 | 39.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 40.2% |
| Born abroad | 5.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 59.5% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2.2 | 36 | 111 |
| Feb | 4.2 | 40 | 131 |
| Mar | 8.9 | 48 | 115 |
| Apr | 14.2 | 58 | 128 |
| May | 19.0 | 66 | 111 |
| Jun | 23.3 | 74 | 112 |
| Jul | 25.2 | 77 | 146 |
| Aug | 24.9 | 77 | 96 |
| Sep | 21.6 | 71 | 105 |
| Oct | 15.0 | 59 | 86 |
| Nov | 8.5 | 47 | 109 |
| Dec | 4.2 | 40 | 133 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Farragut | TN | 9 mi | 24,634 | $142,093 | $1,966 |
| Lenoir City | TN | 10 mi | 11,110 | $67,259 | $932 |
| Clinton | TN | 13 mi | 10,239 | $68,882 | $962 |
| Powell | TN | 15 mi | 13,739 | $82,434 | $1,276 |
| Knoxville | TN | 19 mi | 195,185 | $54,039 | $1,191 |
| Alcoa | TN | 21 mi | 12,222 | $65,714 | $1,282 |
| Halls | TN | 21 mi | 10,272 | $90,933 | $1,178 |
| Maryville | TN | 23 mi | 32,392 | $81,963 | $1,157 |
| Seymour | TN | 30 mi | 16,216 | $82,855 | $1,515 |
| Fairfield Glade | TN | 33 mi | 9,487 | $71,682 | $1,310 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
32,693 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,131 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.8% of the median household income.
$72,311 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.1% (BLS county, Anderson County (latest month 2026M09)).
Tennessee. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.