Jobs, pay and daily life in Portland, 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.
Portland is a city in Tennessee with 13,449 residents. The median household earns $72,647 a year and the median rent is $1,141 a month, which is 18.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan area, where BLS counts 1,099,300 jobs.
How Portland compares. Among the 80 largest places in Tennessee, Portland is #48 by population, #73 for college degrees (#1 = most), #63 for remote work (#1 = most), #61 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Sumner County, is #17 of 95 counties for average pay ($59,304).
Portland has 13,449 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Tennessee. It covers 15 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 888 people per square mile. The median age is 34.8, 11% younger than the state median (34.8 against 38.9).
The median gross rent is $1,141 a month (rent plus utilities), 4% below the state median ($1,141 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 $282,200, which is 3.9 times the median household income ($72,647); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 66.7% of households own their home, about the same as the state average (66.7% against 66.9%).
The Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan area has 1,099,300 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $50,390 a year, about the same as the national median ($50,390 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (142,660 jobs, median $47,960); transportation and material moving (118,420 jobs, median $43,280); food preparation and serving related (103,250 jobs, median $32,150). The area is most specialised in arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media (1.3 times) and transportation and material moving (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 ($126,320) and computer and mathematical ($94,650). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Sumner County was 2.8%. 73.9% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Sumner County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.0% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 0.5% walk, 7.1% work from home. 20.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 32% above the state average (20.1% against 15.2%).
15.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 51% below the state share (15.1% against 31.1%). 1.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 76% below the state share (1.5% against 6.1%). The poverty rate is 11.2%, 19% below the state rate (11.2% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 78°F (25.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at 35°F (1.6°C). About 1,372 mm (54 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jul is the wettest month (135 mm) and Sep the driest (93 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: Franklin (9 miles, rent 11% lower); White House (12 miles, rent 25% higher); Gallatin (15 miles, rent 22% higher); Hendersonville (20 miles, rent 45% higher). Rent differences are against Portland; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Tennessee (395) →State guide: TennesseeCountry guideSumner 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 | 33,120 | 1.59 | $39,790 | $31,960 | $50,260 | -1% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 28,680 | 1.05 | $29,150 | $22,280 | $36,200 | -7% |
| Retail Salespersons | 28,580 | 1.04 | $34,420 | $26,230 | $49,930 | -3% |
| Registered Nurses | 25,100 | 1.05 | $84,040 | $69,480 | $112,030 | -14% |
| General and Operations Managers | 23,820 | 0.96 | $119,990 | $59,000 | $240,110 | +13% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 20,770 | 1.13 | $45,510 | $32,140 | $63,730 | +2% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 20,770 | 2.09 | $56,400 | $36,460 | $79,140 | +26% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 20,090 | 1.00 | $38,190 | $31,580 | $47,230 | +2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 19,490 | 1.21 | $29,390 | $15,080 | $50,050 | -17% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 18,860 | 1.29 | $60,630 | $44,600 | $83,940 | +3% |
| Cashiers | 18,270 | 0.84 | $30,570 | $23,080 | $37,160 | -7% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 17,890 | 1.76 | $73,060 | $46,580 | $106,870 | +5% |
| Office Clerks, General | 16,770 | 0.96 | $43,860 | $28,940 | $61,490 | -3% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 13,790 | 1.42 | $50,810 | $38,150 | $74,090 | +0% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 12,970 | 1.91 | $45,570 | $36,500 | $59,260 | -1% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 12,100 | 1.00 | $49,000 | $33,810 | $65,910 | +3% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 11,940 | 1.72 | $44,970 | $33,620 | $80,180 | +0% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 11,290 | 1.10 | $78,080 | $53,650 | $125,740 | -7% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 11,040 | 1.02 | $48,780 | $36,400 | $68,540 | -2% |
| Security Guards | 10,710 | 1.18 | $37,010 | $30,360 | $56,270 | -3% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 2,490 | 1.03 | $295,640 | $100,990 | $452,390 | +11% |
| Chief Executives | 1,730 | 1.19 | $218,190 | $83,260 | $487,440 | +2% |
| Dentists, General | 1,170 | 1.33 | $215,290 | $128,100 | $340,780 | +26% |
| Nurse Anesthetists | 830 | 2.27 | $211,450 | $152,170 | $302,450 | -11% |
| Family Medicine Physicians | 650 | 0.85 | $211,370 | $64,180 | $311,930 | -13% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 5,640 | 1.19 | $165,970 | $104,020 | $267,840 | -5% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,060 | 0.68 | $159,720 | $112,220 | $266,740 | -7% |
| Financial Managers | 7,400 | 1.24 | $156,860 | $97,860 | $330,000 | -6% |
| Lawyers | 3,990 | 0.75 | $142,540 | $81,890 | $346,830 | -11% |
| Purchasing Managers | 570 | 0.95 | $140,410 | $100,250 | $239,370 | -5% |
| Pharmacists | 2,630 | 1.16 | $137,590 | $69,510 | $167,070 | -2% |
| Marketing Managers | 3,290 | 1.18 | $135,370 | $83,300 | $223,640 | -19% |
| Human Resources Managers | 1,840 | 1.18 | $135,230 | $89,130 | $225,240 | -9% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 3,220 | 1.72 | $133,220 | $78,280 | $217,580 | +17% |
| Sales Managers | 4,700 | 1.04 | $131,600 | $72,520 | $239,990 | -11% |
| Computer Network Architects | 1,650 | 1.30 | $129,370 | $86,480 | $175,500 | -3% |
| Physician Assistants | 750 | 0.65 | $129,050 | $104,990 | $150,780 | -5% |
| Software Developers | 7,750 | 0.65 | $126,610 | $78,410 | $169,070 | -7% |
| Veterinarians | 500 | 0.84 | $126,230 | $104,190 | $166,120 | -3% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 4,540 | 1.99 | $122,320 | $84,300 | $139,740 | -8% |
These figures are for the whole Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $50,390 (US $50,980); unemployment 2.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 19.2% |
| Education and health care | 14.1% |
| Retail trade | 14.0% |
| Construction | 11.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.3% |
| Other services | 4.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.1% |
| Public administration | 2.7% |
| Information | 1.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.1% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county (the first of several) where Portland lies and cover the whole county, not only the city. The city also extends into Robertson County.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumner County | 204,424 | $11,893 million | $58,179 | 62,665 | 5,597 | $59,304 | +2.6% | 2.8% | 115,407 |
| Robertson County | 75,539 | $3,878 million | $51,340 | 22,975 | 1,676 | $55,121 | -1.4% | 2.8% | 41,244 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,933 | 14.6% | $59,987 | 0.88 |
| Retail trade | 7,821 | 14.4% | $38,654 | 1.25 |
| Manufacturing | 7,578 | 14.0% | $70,992 | 1.47 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,210 | 13.3% | $24,362 | 1.27 |
| Construction | 4,300 | 7.9% | $80,838 | 1.31 |
| Administrative and waste services | 3,449 | 6.4% | $59,449 | 0.93 |
| Professional and technical services | 3,325 | 6.1% | $77,755 | 0.76 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,744 | 5.1% | $53,030 | 1.03 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,428 | 4.5% | $91,131 | 0.98 |
| Finance and insurance | 2,001 | 3.7% | $93,323 | 0.79 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,832 | 3.4% | $47,586 | 0.97 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,030 | 1.9% | $36,189 | 0.98 |
| Real estate and rental | 877 | 1.6% | $85,700 | 0.90 |
| Information | 740 | 1.4% | $189,038 | 0.63 |
| Educational services | 684 | 1.3% | $27,047 | 0.53 |
| Management of companies | 96 | 0.2% | $110,380 | 0.09 |
| Utilities | 78 | 0.1% | $103,998 | 0.33 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 66 | 0.1% | $50,615 | 0.13 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 8 | 0.0% | $115,991 | 0.03 |
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 | 79.0% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.5% |
| Work from home | 7.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 20.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,647 |
| Income per person | $32,785 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,141 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 18.8% |
| Median home value | $282,200 |
| Homeowners | 66.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 96.3 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $50,390 |
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 | 34.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 15.1% |
| Born abroad | 1.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 73.9% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1.6 | 35 | 101 |
| Feb | 3.5 | 38 | 126 |
| Mar | 8.7 | 48 | 113 |
| Apr | 14.3 | 58 | 130 |
| May | 19.2 | 67 | 133 |
| Jun | 23.6 | 74 | 109 |
| Jul | 25.5 | 78 | 135 |
| Aug | 25.3 | 78 | 105 |
| Sep | 21.7 | 71 | 93 |
| Oct | 15.1 | 59 | 100 |
| Nov | 8.3 | 47 | 102 |
| Dec | 3.7 | 39 | 125 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin | KY | 9 mi | 10,360 | $59,052 | $1,010 |
| White House | TN | 12 mi | 14,631 | $90,019 | $1,426 |
| Gallatin | TN | 15 mi | 48,532 | $77,518 | $1,395 |
| Hendersonville | TN | 20 mi | 63,091 | $97,200 | $1,653 |
| Springfield | TN | 20 mi | 19,255 | $59,465 | $1,139 |
| Goodlettsville | TN | 21 mi | 17,597 | $70,758 | $1,385 |
| Hartsville | TN | 25 mi | 11,957 | $72,747 | $853 |
| Russellville | KY | 26 mi | 7,316 | $45,484 | $738 |
| Bowling Green | KY | 27 mi | 75,388 | $48,873 | $998 |
| Mount Juliet | TN | 28 mi | 42,073 | $107,068 | $2,011 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
13,449 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,141 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 18.8% of the median household income.
$72,647 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.8% (BLS county, Sumner County (latest month 2026M09)).
Tennessee. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.