Counties in Tennessee by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Williamson County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 95 counties in 2016, at $1,168. Hancock County had the lowest, at $496. The median was $694 and the figure for Tennessee was $912. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,168Williamson County
Median69495 counties
Tennessee912History

Map of counties, 2016

Anderson County: 1,050 USDBedford County: 746 USDBenton County: 600 USDBledsoe County: 607 USDBlount County: 869 USDBradley County: 746 USDCampbell County: 634 USDCannon County: 631 USDCarroll County: 661 USDCarter County: 631 USDCheatham County: 785 USDChester County: 646 USDClaiborne County: 664 USDClay County: 585 USDCocke County: 635 USDCoffee County: 829 USDCrockett County: 743 USDCumberland County: 636 USDDavidson County: 1,083 USDDecatur County: 690 USDDeKalb County: 685 USDDickson County: 719 USDDyer County: 713 USDFayette County: 823 USDFentress County: 601 USDFranklin County: 665 USDGibson County: 664 USDGiles County: 725 USDGrainger County: 670 USDGreene County: 707 USDGrundy County: 511 USDHamblen County: 719 USDHamilton County: 915 USDHancock County: 496 USDHardeman County: 719 USDHardin County: 815 USDHawkins County: 746 USDHaywood County: 727 USDHenderson County: 697 USDHenry County: 694 USDHickman County: 678 USDHouston County: 566 USDHumphreys County: 886 USDJackson County: 637 USDJefferson County: 767 USDJohnson County: 776 USDKnox County: 893 USDLake County: 588 USDLauderdale County: 681 USDLawrence County: 639 USDLewis County: 562 USDLincoln County: 689 USDLoudon County: 763 USDMcMinn County: 802 USDMcNairy County: 603 USDMacon County: 608 USDMadison County: 785 USDMarion County: 687 USDMarshall County: 730 USDMaury County: 865 USDMeigs County: 688 USDMonroe County: 729 USDMontgomery County: 693 USDMoore County: 845 USDMorgan County: 619 USDObion County: 673 USDOverton County: 669 USDPerry County: 567 USDPickett County: 595 USDPolk County: 606 USDPutnam County: 703 USDRhea County: 816 USDRoane County: 1,160 USDRobertson County: 723 USDRutherford County: 906 USDScott County: 572 USDSequatchie County: 604 USDSevier County: 564 USDShelby County: 1,025 USDSmith County: 738 USDStewart County: 871 USDSullivan County: 871 USDSumner County: 794 USDTipton County: 701 USDTrousdale County: 616 USDUnicoi County: 828 USDUnion County: 618 USDVan Buren County: 612 USDWarren County: 716 USDWashington County: 756 USDWayne County: 605 USDWeakley County: 621 USDWhite County: 677 USDWilliamson County: 1,168 USDWilson County: 798 USD
  • Under 610
  • 610 to 660
  • 660 to 690
  • 690 to 740
  • 740 to 820
  • 820 and over
USD, 2016. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

Williamson County: 1,168 USDWilliamson County1,168Roane County: 1,160 USDRoane County1,160Davidson County: 1,083 USDDavidson County1,083Anderson County: 1,050 USDAnderson County1,050Shelby County: 1,025 USDShelby County1,025Hamilton County: 915 USDHamilton County915Rutherford County: 906 USDRutherford County906Knox County: 893 USDKnox County893Humphreys County: 886 USDHumphreys County886Stewart County: 871 USDStewart County871Sullivan County: 871 USDSullivan County871Blount County: 869 USDBlount County869Maury County: 865 USDMaury County865Moore County: 845 USDMoore County845Coffee County: 829 USDCoffee County829Unicoi County: 828 USDUnicoi County828Fayette County: 823 USDFayette County823Rhea County: 816 USDRhea County816Hardin County: 815 USDHardin County815McMinn County: 802 USDMcMinn County802Wilson County: 798 USDWilson County798Sumner County: 794 USDSumner County794Cheatham County: 785 USDCheatham County785Madison County: 785 USDMadison County785Johnson County: 776 USDJohnson County776Jefferson County: 767 USDJefferson County767Loudon County: 763 USDLoudon County763Washington County: 756 USDWashington County756Bedford County: 746 USDBedford County746Bradley County: 746 USDBradley County746Hawkins County: 746 USDHawkins County746Crockett County: 743 USDCrockett County743Smith County: 738 USDSmith County738Marshall County: 730 USDMarshall County730Monroe County: 729 USDMonroe County729Haywood County: 727 USDHaywood County727Giles County: 725 USDGiles County725Robertson County: 723 USDRobertson County723Dickson County: 719 USDDickson County719Hamblen County: 719 USDHamblen County719Williamson County: 1,168 USDWilliamson County1,168Roane County: 1,160 USDRoane County1,160Davidson County: 1,083 USDDavidson County1,083Anderson County: 1,050 USDAnderson County1,050Shelby County: 1,025 USDShelby County1,025Hamilton County: 915 USDHamilton County915Rutherford County: 906 USDRutherford County906Knox County: 893 USDKnox County893Humphreys County: 886 USDHumphreys County886Stewart County: 871 USDStewart County871Sullivan County: 871 USDSullivan County871Blount County: 869 USDBlount County869Maury County: 865 USDMaury County865Moore County: 845 USDMoore County845Coffee County: 829 USDCoffee County829Unicoi County: 828 USDUnicoi County828Fayette County: 823 USDFayette County823Rhea County: 816 USDRhea County816Hardin County: 815 USDHardin County815McMinn County: 802 USDMcMinn County802Wilson County: 798 USDWilson County798Sumner County: 794 USDSumner County794Cheatham County: 785 USDCheatham County785Madison County: 785 USDMadison County785Johnson County: 776 USDJohnson County776Jefferson County: 767 USDJefferson County767Loudon County: 763 USDLoudon County763Washington County: 756 USDWashington County756Bedford County: 746 USDBedford County746Bradley County: 746 USDBradley County746Hawkins County: 746 USDHawkins County746Crockett County: 743 USDCrockett County743Smith County: 738 USDSmith County738Marshall County: 730 USDMarshall County730Monroe County: 729 USDMonroe County729Haywood County: 727 USDHaywood County727Giles County: 725 USDGiles County725Robertson County: 723 USDRobertson County723Dickson County: 719 USDDickson County719Hamblen County: 719 USDHamblen County719
USD. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016
USD
Change on 2015
1Williamson County1,168-0.2%
2Roane County1,160+3.7%
3Davidson County1,083+0.4%
4Anderson County1,050+1.8%
5Shelby County1,025+1.4%
6Hamilton County915+0.4%
7Rutherford County906+2.4%
8Knox County893+2.1%
9Humphreys County886-1.8%
10Stewart County871-5.7%
10Sullivan County871-0.8%
12Blount County869+1.2%
13Maury County865+6.7%
14Moore County845+1.1%
15Coffee County829+1.5%
16Unicoi County828+1.7%
17Fayette County823+2.6%
18Rhea County816-4.6%
19Hardin County815+13.4%
20McMinn County802+3.4%
21Wilson County798-0.1%
22Sumner County794+0.5%
23Cheatham County785+3.8%
23Madison County785+1.9%
25Johnson County776+2.4%
26Jefferson County767+2.8%
27Loudon County7630%
28Washington County756+1.1%
29Bedford County746+2.8%
29Bradley County746-0.1%
29Hawkins County746+2.8%
32Crockett County743+2.9%
33Smith County738-1.5%
34Marshall County730+2.4%
35Monroe County729+3.8%
36Haywood County727+1.4%
37Giles County725+1%
38Robertson County723+1%
39Dickson County719+2.6%
39Hamblen County719-0.3%
39Hardeman County719+2.7%
42Warren County716+3.8%
43Dyer County713+1.6%
44Greene County707+1.3%
45Putnam County703+1%
46Tipton County701+3.1%
47Henderson County697+5.9%
48Henry County694+3%
49Montgomery County693+0.7%
50Decatur County690+4.5%
51Lincoln County689+0.9%
52Meigs County688+3.9%
53Marion County687+3.3%
54DeKalb County685+1.2%
55Lauderdale County681+2.9%
56Hickman County678+3.4%
57White County677+3.7%
58Obion County673+1.5%
59Grainger County670+5.2%
60Overton County669+0.9%
61Franklin County665+0.2%
62Claiborne County664+1.7%
62Gibson County664+0.6%
64Carroll County661+5.1%
65Chester County646+2.7%
66Lawrence County639+1.9%
67Jackson County637+0.8%
68Cumberland County636+1.6%
69Cocke County6350%
70Campbell County634+2.3%
71Cannon County631-0.8%
71Carter County631+2.1%
73Weakley County621+2.6%
74Morgan County619-3.3%
75Union County618+4%
76Trousdale County616+4.1%
77Van Buren County612+1.3%
78Macon County608+1.8%
79Bledsoe County607+2.9%
80Polk County606+11.6%
81Wayne County605+2%
82Sequatchie County604+2.5%
83McNairy County603+2%
84Fentress County601+7.3%
85Benton County600+1.7%
86Pickett County595+1%
87Lake County588+5%
88Clay County585+3.5%
89Scott County572-3.5%
90Perry County567+1.8%
91Houston County566-2.4%
92Sevier County564+2.4%
93Lewis County562+3.9%
94Grundy County511+1.2%
95Hancock County496-1%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages paid during the year divided by the average number of covered jobs and by 52, in US dollars, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Counted where the job is located, from the reports employers file each quarter; monthly employment counts the jobs in the pay period that includes the 12th.

In current dollars, not adjusted for inflation. An average per job, so part-time jobs pull it down and high earners pull it up; for the typical job use median_annual_wage. Wages include bonuses, stock options exercised, severance pay and tips, which makes counties with corporate headquarters stand out. Covers about 95 percent of US wage and salary jobs. Excludes the self-employed, most agricultural workers on small farms, the armed forces, elected officials in most states, most railroad employees, some domestic workers and most student workers at schools.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Tennessee by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Tennessee by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Tennessee by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Tennessee by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_tennessee_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Tennessee by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Tennessee by average weekly wage (QCEW), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2016/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in Tennessee by average weekly wage (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Williamson County, with $1,168 in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest average weekly wage (QCEW)?

Hancock County, with $496 in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average weekly wage, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Average weekly wage (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings