The county economy from official statistics, with source and year on every table.
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Obion County is a county of Tennessee with 30,453 residents. Its economy produced $1,688 million in 2024 (ranked #42 of 95 counties) and had 12,200 jobs with an average annual pay of $47,932 (#63 for pay). The unemployment rate was 3.2% in 2026M09. It is part of the Union City, TN micropolitan area (central county).
Obion County produced about $1,688 million of goods and services in 2024, which is 0.3% of the combined output of the 95 counties of Tennessee that BEA reports (about 0.4% of the state's population lives here), and ranks it 42nd of 95 on that measure. Per resident that is $55,425, 30% below the state average; the average for all counties of the state taken together is $79,418. In current dollars output grew -1.3% from 2023 to 2024, before adjusting for inflation. The gap between its output rank (42nd) and its output-per-resident rank (28th) shows that a few high-value industries or a small population drive the figure.
BLS counts 12,200 jobs located in Obion County on average in 2024, spread over 751 employer sites (about 16 jobs per site). That is 0.40 jobs for every resident, above the 0.28 of the typical county in Tennessee, which tells you whether the county is a place people mostly commute to for work or a place they commute from. The average annual pay per job was $47,932, 27% below the average of all counties in the state ($47,932 against $66,074). Average pay is total wages divided by jobs, so it is pulled up by high earners and counts part-time jobs as whole jobs; it is not the pay of a typical worker. The number of jobs rose 0.1% from 2023 to 2024.
The three largest private industries are manufacturing (42.3% of private jobs, $54,419 a year on average), retail trade (18.4% of private jobs, $36,046 a year on average), accommodation and food services (11.6% of private jobs, $20,072 a year on average). Together they hold 72.3% of private-sector jobs. Among industries with at least 3% of jobs, the best paying is wholesale trade at $64,339 a year, followed by finance and insurance ($63,898). The county is specialised in an industry: manufacturing (3.8 times the US share, 3,757 jobs). A location quotient above 1 means an industry employs a larger share of workers here than in the whole country, so these are the industries where local employers compete hardest for skills. Several of the biggest employers pay well below the county average: accommodation and food services ($20,072). Jobs there are plentiful but the pay is lower than the headline average suggests.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate in Obion County was 3.2%, about the same as the average of the state's counties (3.2% against 3.3%). The labour force (people working or looking for work) numbered 13,652. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 3.0% (2026M05) to 3.7% (2025M11); the latest month is preliminary and BLS revises it. These county rates are not seasonally adjusted, so compare the same month across years.
The median household income was $54,613 (ACS 2020–2024), 22% below the state median ($54,613 against $69,595). The guide covers 1 city with this as the main county: Union City. Open any of them for rent, home values, commuting and climate.
Counties close to Obion County in output are Henry County, Lincoln County, Marshall County, Giles County. Compare their jobs, pay and unemployment on their own pages.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ | Rank among the 95 counties of Tennessee ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,453 | 50 of 95 |
| GDP 2024 | $1,688 million | 42 of 95 |
| GDP per resident | $55,425 | 28 of 95 |
| Jobs (QCEW 2024) | 12,200 | 34 of 95 |
| Average annual pay | $47,932 | 63 of 95 |
| Job change vs 2023 | +0.1% | 50 of 95 |
| Unemployment rate (lower is better) | 3.2% | 24 of 95 |
| Median household income | $54,613 | 66 of 95 |
Federal jobs in Tennessee (395) →All cities of TennesseeState guide: Tennessee
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.
Cities of this guide whose main county is Obion County.
| City ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ | Median home value ⇅ | Bachelor's+ ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union City | 10,982 | $50,870 | $739 | $146,000 | 20.8% |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 3,757 | 42.3% | $54,419 | 3.75 |
| Retail trade | 1,636 | 18.4% | $36,046 | 1.34 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,026 | 11.6% | $20,072 | 0.92 |
| Construction | 539 | 6.1% | $62,955 | 0.84 |
| Wholesale trade | 393 | 4.4% | $64,339 | 0.82 |
| Administrative and waste services | 372 | 4.2% | $48,733 | 0.52 |
| Finance and insurance | 312 | 3.5% | $63,898 | 0.63 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 247 | 2.8% | $46,448 | 1.20 |
| Professional and technical services | 188 | 2.1% | $66,810 | 0.22 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 164 | 1.8% | $41,319 | 0.45 |
| Real estate and rental | 97 | 1.1% | $56,358 | 0.51 |
| Management of companies | 74 | 0.8% | $87,629 | 0.36 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 51 | 0.6% | $42,965 | 0.52 |
| Information | 18 | 0.2% | $47,133 | 0.08 |
A location quotient above 1 means the industry is more concentrated here than in the US. BLS withholds sectors with too few employers.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Labour force | 13,652 |
| Employed residents | 13,213 |
| Unemployed residents | 439 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% |
| Jobs located in the county (QCEW) | 12,200 |
| Employer sites | 751 |
Residents employed and jobs located here differ: many residents commute to other counties.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP 2024 ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Unemployment ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | 919,173 | $88,404 million | $96,178 | 482,470 | $71,518 | 4.4% |
| Davidson County | 715,388 | $116,879 million | $163,378 | 555,405 | $83,096 | 2.8% |
| Knox County | 494,148 | $43,623 million | $88,279 | 260,373 | $65,043 | 2.8% |
| Hamilton County | 376,192 | $37,279 million | $99,096 | 221,207 | $66,004 | 3.1% |
| Rutherford County | 360,646 | $27,630 million | $76,612 | 149,355 | $63,681 | 2.7% |
| Williamson County | 260,351 | $38,776 million | $148,936 | 149,366 | $87,286 | 2.7% |
| Montgomery County | 234,153 | $9,433 million | $40,285 | 64,469 | $52,099 | 3.6% |
| Sumner County | 204,424 | $11,893 million | $58,179 | 62,665 | $59,304 | 2.8% |
| Sullivan County | 160,624 | $11,880 million | $73,959 | 70,256 | $62,036 | 3.2% |
| Wilson County | 158,805 | $10,174 million | $64,065 | 65,504 | $57,691 | 2.7% |
| Blount County | 139,333 | $9,079 million | $65,160 | 56,991 | $61,177 | 2.8% |
| Washington County | 136,261 | $9,174 million | $67,328 | 63,746 | $55,766 | 3.1% |
| Bradley County | 111,065 | $6,669 million | $60,048 | 40,665 | $54,379 | 3.6% |
| Maury County | 107,791 | $7,115 million | $66,007 | 42,247 | $62,782 | 3.7% |
| Sevier County | 99,652 | $7,757 million | $77,843 | 53,730 | $43,711 | 2.7% |
| Madison County | 99,295 | $8,548 million | $86,088 | 60,967 | $58,054 | 3.8% |
| Putnam County | 82,558 | $5,269 million | $63,828 | 39,664 | $50,328 | 3.2% |
| Anderson County | 79,153 | $7,858 million | $99,273 | 46,052 | $79,878 | 3.1% |
| Robertson County | 75,539 | $3,878 million | $51,340 | 22,975 | $55,121 | 2.8% |
| Greene County | 71,628 | $3,396 million | $47,417 | 25,076 | $50,588 | 4.5% |
| Hamblen County | 65,669 | $4,643 million | $70,705 | 33,531 | $50,942 | 3.4% |
| Cumberland County | 63,553 | $2,730 million | $42,951 | 19,316 | $45,674 | 3.8% |
| Tipton County | 61,553 | $1,763 million | $28,648 | 11,848 | $50,303 | 3.6% |
| Coffee County | 59,710 | $4,184 million | $70,065 | 26,685 | $59,239 | 3.4% |
| Loudon County | 58,580 | $3,117 million | $53,207 | 17,644 | $54,420 | 2.9% |
| Hawkins County | 57,964 | $2,436 million | $42,033 | 12,055 | $55,373 | 3.7% |
| Jefferson County | 56,864 | $2,446 million | $43,008 | 14,061 | $55,672 | 3.1% |
| Carter County | 56,712 | $1,556 million | $27,439 | 12,025 | $47,576 | 3.5% |
| Dickson County | 55,983 | $2,981 million | $53,257 | 18,872 | $51,716 | 2.7% |
| Roane County | 55,208 | $3,536 million | $64,042 | 19,050 | $82,676 | 3.3% |
| McMinn County | 54,884 | $2,685 million | $48,923 | 17,207 | $50,929 | 4.2% |
| Bedford County | 52,237 | $2,921 million | $55,917 | 18,134 | $53,753 | 3.2% |
| Gibson County | 50,869 | $2,017 million | $39,644 | 14,908 | $48,973 | 3.5% |
| Monroe County | 47,695 | $2,217 million | $46,487 | 15,485 | $49,323 | 3.5% |
| Lawrence County | 45,385 | $1,585 million | $34,921 | 11,816 | $45,770 | 3.7% |
| Franklin County | 43,990 | $1,833 million | $41,677 | 11,619 | $52,979 | 3.6% |
| Fayette County | 43,267 | $2,044 million | $47,244 | 8,093 | $57,079 | 3.4% |
| Warren County | 42,166 | $2,003 million | $47,507 | 13,037 | $50,373 | 3.5% |
| Cheatham County | 41,829 | $1,921 million | $45,929 | 9,759 | $59,841 | 2.7% |
| Campbell County | 39,761 | $1,449 million | $36,438 | 9,359 | $44,011 | 3.4% |
| Cocke County | 36,813 | $1,210 million | $32,877 | 7,903 | $45,422 | 3.8% |
| Dyer County | 36,508 | $2,387 million | $65,390 | 16,858 | $54,348 | 3.0% |
| Marshall County | 36,049 | $1,606 million | $44,557 | 9,579 | $53,723 | 3.6% |
| Lincoln County | 35,946 | $1,714 million | $47,688 | 10,289 | $50,594 | 3.4% |
| Rhea County | 33,992 | $2,982 million | $87,730 | 11,990 | $57,168 | 3.9% |
| Weakley County | 33,016 | $1,407 million | $42,626 | 10,673 | $44,884 | 4.0% |
| Claiborne County | 32,466 | $1,100 million | $33,866 | 8,786 | $45,889 | 3.5% |
| Henry County | 32,412 | $1,723 million | $53,145 | 11,772 | $47,711 | 4.0% |
| Giles County | 30,620 | $1,601 million | $52,296 | 9,906 | $51,003 | 4.1% |
| Obion County | 30,453 | $1,688 million | $55,425 | 12,200 | $47,932 | 3.2% |
| Marion County | 29,250 | $1,192 million | $40,745 | 8,355 | $50,930 | 3.7% |
| Carroll County | 28,641 | $949 million | $33,145 | 7,603 | $47,607 | 3.9% |
| White County | 28,160 | $1,085 million | $38,533 | 7,157 | $45,063 | 3.7% |
| Henderson County | 27,980 | $1,064 million | $38,018 | 8,429 | $47,219 | 3.6% |
| Hardin County | 27,249 | $1,377 million | $50,546 | 8,376 | $50,188 | 3.9% |
| Macon County | 26,240 | $849 million | $32,351 | 5,468 | $50,310 | 2.7% |
| McNairy County | 25,970 | $787 million | $30,292 | 5,600 | $44,747 | 3.7% |
| Hickman County | 25,436 | $716 million | $28,159 | 4,072 | $51,127 | 3.3% |
| Hardeman County | 25,433 | $821 million | $32,274 | 6,576 | $51,533 | 4.6% |
| Lauderdale County | 24,784 | $954 million | $38,498 | 6,312 | $48,715 | 4.5% |
| Grainger County | 24,266 | $754 million | $31,058 | 4,301 | $54,454 | 3.2% |
| Overton County | 23,065 | $812 million | $35,208 | 5,672 | $46,368 | 3.3% |
| Scott County | 22,113 | $700 million | $31,634 | 5,869 | $41,563 | 3.9% |
| Morgan County | 21,361 | $461 million | $21,589 | 3,618 | $44,908 | 3.8% |
| DeKalb County | 20,959 | $883 million | $42,126 | 5,388 | $48,873 | 3.9% |
| Union County | 20,431 | $472 million | $23,099 | 2,931 | $48,737 | 3.3% |
| Smith County | 20,389 | $843 million | $41,339 | 5,040 | $53,195 | 2.9% |
| Fentress County | 19,309 | $769 million | $39,826 | 5,768 | $41,622 | 3.3% |
| Humphreys County | 19,214 | $1,138 million | $59,220 | 5,951 | $61,024 | 3.5% |
| Johnson County | 18,196 | $596 million | $32,755 | 4,274 | $53,592 | 4.2% |
| Polk County | 17,898 | $483 million | $26,963 | 2,759 | $41,945 | 3.5% |
| Unicoi County | 17,756 | $813 million | $45,792 | 5,042 | $56,936 | 3.2% |
| Chester County | 17,611 | $524 million | $29,762 | 3,986 | $44,062 | 4.0% |
| Haywood County | 17,475 | $1,331 million | $76,191 | 8,085 | $74,843 | 3.2% |
| Sequatchie County | 16,809 | $466 million | $27,727 | 3,622 | $44,394 | 3.4% |
| Wayne County | 16,168 | $546 million | $33,745 | 4,052 | $46,559 | 3.4% |
| Benton County | 16,006 | $587 million | $36,705 | 4,264 | $45,755 | 4.2% |
| Bledsoe County | 15,032 | $362 million | $24,051 | 2,392 | $48,862 | 2.8% |
| Cannon County | 14,818 | $431 million | $29,056 | 2,339 | $47,444 | 2.9% |
| Stewart County | 14,027 | $1,164 million | $82,958 | 3,023 | $65,634 | 3.8% |
| Crockett County | 13,944 | $761 million | $54,571 | 4,010 | $54,619 | 3.1% |
| Grundy County | 13,819 | $344 million | $24,858 | 2,070 | $39,399 | 3.6% |
| Meigs County | 13,343 | $353 million | $26,437 | 1,933 | $55,796 | 4.6% |
| Lewis County | 12,992 | $495 million | $38,130 | 3,303 | $49,960 | 4.0% |
| Jackson County | 12,029 | $291 million | $24,194 | 1,523 | $46,206 | 3.7% |
| Trousdale County | 11,957 | $305 million | $25,513 | 2,127 | $52,950 | 2.7% |
| Decatur County | 11,579 | $457 million | $39,444 | 3,565 | $46,601 | 4.3% |
| Perry County | 8,697 | $280 million | $32,201 | 1,638 | $46,146 | 5.1% |
| Houston County | 8,353 | $214 million | $25,571 | 1,443 | $43,652 | 3.4% |
| Clay County | 7,670 | $330 million | $43,011 | 1,388 | $38,261 | 3.4% |
| Hancock County | 6,852 | $124 million | $18,164 | 1,013 | $34,323 | 5.0% |
| Moore County | 6,674 | $625 million | $93,657 | 2,286 | $60,876 | 3.4% |
| Lake County | 6,579 | $151 million | $22,877 | 1,452 | $48,138 | 4.4% |
| Van Buren County | 6,437 | $134 million | $20,847 | 919 | $39,600 | 3.2% |
| Pickett County | 5,079 | $211 million | $41,516 | 942 | $40,357 | 4.4% |
30,453 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024).
$1,688 million in 2024 (BEA, current dollars).
3.2% in 2026M09 (BLS, not seasonally adjusted; the latest month may be revised).
12,200 jobs on average in 2024 with an average annual pay of $47,932 (BLS QCEW).