Counties in Tennessee by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Williamson County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 95 counties in 2018, at $1,270. Hancock County had the lowest, at $525. The median was $744 and the figure for Tennessee was $970. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,270Williamson County
Median74495 counties
Tennessee970History

Map of counties, 2018

Anderson County: 1,109 USDBedford County: 768 USDBenton County: 651 USDBledsoe County: 667 USDBlount County: 909 USDBradley County: 803 USDCampbell County: 658 USDCannon County: 655 USDCarroll County: 713 USDCarter County: 680 USDCheatham County: 823 USDChester County: 665 USDClaiborne County: 702 USDClay County: 588 USDCocke County: 673 USDCoffee County: 879 USDCrockett County: 780 USDCumberland County: 648 USDDavidson County: 1,167 USDDecatur County: 734 USDDeKalb County: 742 USDDickson County: 749 USDDyer County: 765 USDFayette County: 852 USDFentress County: 622 USDFranklin County: 723 USDGibson County: 723 USDGiles County: 776 USDGrainger County: 740 USDGreene County: 748 USDGrundy County: 542 USDHamblen County: 773 USDHamilton County: 960 USDHancock County: 525 USDHardeman County: 769 USDHardin County: 807 USDHawkins County: 807 USDHaywood County: 764 USDHenderson County: 754 USDHenry County: 737 USDHickman County: 707 USDHouston County: 601 USDHumphreys County: 909 USDJackson County: 637 USDJefferson County: 822 USDJohnson County: 812 USDKnox County: 955 USDLake County: 633 USDLauderdale County: 739 USDLawrence County: 675 USDLewis County: 616 USDLincoln County: 710 USDLoudon County: 853 USDMcMinn County: 832 USDMcNairy County: 653 USDMacon County: 637 USDMadison County: 826 USDMarion County: 723 USDMarshall County: 809 USDMaury County: 897 USDMeigs County: 749 USDMonroe County: 758 USDMontgomery County: 744 USDMoore County: 899 USDMorgan County: 677 USDObion County: 705 USDOverton County: 692 USDPerry County: 622 USDPickett County: 601 USDPolk County: 602 USDPutnam County: 758 USDRhea County: 857 USDRoane County: 1,269 USDRobertson County: 745 USDRutherford County: 934 USDScott County: 615 USDSequatchie County: 624 USDSevier County: 601 USDShelby County: 1,082 USDSmith County: 823 USDStewart County: 918 USDSullivan County: 945 USDSumner County: 835 USDTipton County: 694 USDTrousdale County: 718 USDUnicoi County: 860 USDUnion County: 681 USDVan Buren County: 624 USDWarren County: 753 USDWashington County: 806 USDWayne County: 657 USDWeakley County: 655 USDWhite County: 676 USDWilliamson County: 1,270 USDWilson County: 809 USD
  • Under 640
  • 640 to 690
  • 690 to 740
  • 740 to 800
  • 800 to 860
  • 860 and over
USD, 2018. 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, 2018

Williamson County: 1,270 USDWilliamson County1,270Roane County: 1,269 USDRoane County1,269Davidson County: 1,167 USDDavidson County1,167Anderson County: 1,109 USDAnderson County1,109Shelby County: 1,082 USDShelby County1,082Hamilton County: 960 USDHamilton County960Knox County: 955 USDKnox County955Sullivan County: 945 USDSullivan County945Rutherford County: 934 USDRutherford County934Stewart County: 918 USDStewart County918Blount County: 909 USDBlount County909Humphreys County: 909 USDHumphreys County909Moore County: 899 USDMoore County899Maury County: 897 USDMaury County897Coffee County: 879 USDCoffee County879Unicoi County: 860 USDUnicoi County860Rhea County: 857 USDRhea County857Loudon County: 853 USDLoudon County853Fayette County: 852 USDFayette County852Sumner County: 835 USDSumner County835McMinn County: 832 USDMcMinn County832Madison County: 826 USDMadison County826Cheatham County: 823 USDCheatham County823Smith County: 823 USDSmith County823Jefferson County: 822 USDJefferson County822Johnson County: 812 USDJohnson County812Marshall County: 809 USDMarshall County809Wilson County: 809 USDWilson County809Hardin County: 807 USDHardin County807Hawkins County: 807 USDHawkins County807Washington County: 806 USDWashington County806Bradley County: 803 USDBradley County803Crockett County: 780 USDCrockett County780Giles County: 776 USDGiles County776Hamblen County: 773 USDHamblen County773Hardeman County: 769 USDHardeman County769Bedford County: 768 USDBedford County768Dyer County: 765 USDDyer County765Haywood County: 764 USDHaywood County764Monroe County: 758 USDMonroe County758Williamson County: 1,270 USDWilliamson County1,270Roane County: 1,269 USDRoane County1,269Davidson County: 1,167 USDDavidson County1,167Anderson County: 1,109 USDAnderson County1,109Shelby County: 1,082 USDShelby County1,082Hamilton County: 960 USDHamilton County960Knox County: 955 USDKnox County955Sullivan County: 945 USDSullivan County945Rutherford County: 934 USDRutherford County934Stewart County: 918 USDStewart County918Blount County: 909 USDBlount County909Humphreys County: 909 USDHumphreys County909Moore County: 899 USDMoore County899Maury County: 897 USDMaury County897Coffee County: 879 USDCoffee County879Unicoi County: 860 USDUnicoi County860Rhea County: 857 USDRhea County857Loudon County: 853 USDLoudon County853Fayette County: 852 USDFayette County852Sumner County: 835 USDSumner County835McMinn County: 832 USDMcMinn County832Madison County: 826 USDMadison County826Cheatham County: 823 USDCheatham County823Smith County: 823 USDSmith County823Jefferson County: 822 USDJefferson County822Johnson County: 812 USDJohnson County812Marshall County: 809 USDMarshall County809Wilson County: 809 USDWilson County809Hardin County: 807 USDHardin County807Hawkins County: 807 USDHawkins County807Washington County: 806 USDWashington County806Bradley County: 803 USDBradley County803Crockett County: 780 USDCrockett County780Giles County: 776 USDGiles County776Hamblen County: 773 USDHamblen County773Hardeman County: 769 USDHardeman County769Bedford County: 768 USDBedford County768Dyer County: 765 USDDyer County765Haywood County: 764 USDHaywood County764Monroe County: 758 USDMonroe County758
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

RankCounties2018
USD
Change on 2017
1Williamson County1,270+5.7%
2Roane County1,269+3.3%
3Davidson County1,167+4.6%
4Anderson County1,109+3.5%
5Shelby County1,082+2.9%
6Hamilton County960+1.4%
7Knox County955+4%
8Sullivan County945+5.5%
9Rutherford County934+1.3%
10Stewart County918+2.2%
11Blount County909+1.2%
11Humphreys County909-4.5%
13Moore County899+3.7%
14Maury County897+2.6%
15Coffee County879+3.2%
16Unicoi County860+1.2%
17Rhea County857+2.3%
18Loudon County853+4.2%
19Fayette County852-6.8%
20Sumner County835+1.2%
21McMinn County832+1%
22Madison County826+1.2%
23Cheatham County823+3.4%
23Smith County823+7%
25Jefferson County822+3%
26Johnson County812-0.1%
27Marshall County809+2.4%
27Wilson County809-0.6%
29Hardin County807+3.5%
29Hawkins County807+0.4%
31Washington County806+3.1%
32Bradley County803+3.2%
33Crockett County780+1.6%
34Giles County776+4.2%
35Hamblen County773+3.5%
36Hardeman County769+4.6%
37Bedford County768+3.1%
38Dyer County765+2.4%
39Haywood County764+1.9%
40Monroe County758+2.8%
40Putnam County758+5%
42Henderson County754+6.2%
43Warren County753+1.9%
44Dickson County749+1.6%
44Meigs County749+0.1%
46Greene County748+2.9%
47Robertson County745-1.2%
48Montgomery County744+3.2%
49DeKalb County742+5.5%
50Grainger County740+3.4%
51Lauderdale County739+6.5%
52Henry County737+2.5%
53Decatur County734+2.7%
54Franklin County723+5.5%
54Gibson County723+4.6%
54Marion County723+0.6%
57Trousdale County718+11.1%
58Carroll County713+3.2%
59Lincoln County710+1.4%
60Hickman County707+3.1%
61Obion County705+1.9%
62Claiborne County702+0.4%
63Tipton County694+1.5%
64Overton County692+1.9%
65Union County681+0.3%
66Carter County680+1.6%
67Morgan County677+6.1%
68White County676-2.5%
69Lawrence County675+1.5%
70Cocke County673+2.4%
71Bledsoe County667+5.4%
72Chester County665+3.4%
73Campbell County658+0.2%
74Wayne County657+5.3%
75Cannon County655+2.2%
75Weakley County655+1.9%
77McNairy County653+3.3%
78Benton County651+3.7%
79Cumberland County648-1.1%
80Jackson County637+3.1%
80Macon County637+1.3%
82Lake County633+3.8%
83Sequatchie County624+0.8%
83Van Buren County624+6.5%
85Fentress County622+1%
85Perry County622+2.5%
87Lewis County616+2.3%
88Scott County615+4.8%
89Polk County602+8.5%
90Houston County601+1.5%
90Pickett County601-2.4%
90Sevier County601+3.6%
93Clay County588-1.5%
94Grundy County542+3%
95Hancock County525+2.9%

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/2018/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), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/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), 2018. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2018. 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), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2018.

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), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_tennessee_by_2018,
  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), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2018. 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/2018/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), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2018.
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/2018/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 $1,270 in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Hancock County, with $525 in 2018.

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