Counties in Tennessee by average weekly wage (QCEW)

Williamson County had the highest average weekly wage (QCEW) of 95 counties in 2021, at $1,509. Hancock County had the lowest, at $587. The median was $840 and the figure for Tennessee was $1,137. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest1,509Williamson County
Median84095 counties
Tennessee1,137History

Map of counties, 2021

Anderson County: 1,286 USDBedford County: 889 USDBenton County: 798 USDBledsoe County: 778 USDBlount County: 1,045 USDBradley County: 928 USDCampbell County: 741 USDCannon County: 779 USDCarroll County: 700 USDCarter County: 764 USDCheatham County: 964 USDChester County: 741 USDClaiborne County: 790 USDClay County: 682 USDCocke County: 824 USDCoffee County: 981 USDCrockett County: 906 USDCumberland County: 759 USDDavidson County: 1,392 USDDecatur County: 783 USDDeKalb County: 819 USDDickson County: 875 USDDyer County: 912 USDFayette County: 925 USDFentress County: 684 USDFranklin County: 861 USDGibson County: 833 USDGiles County: 834 USDGrainger County: 881 USDGreene County: 840 USDGrundy County: 652 USDHamblen County: 863 USDHamilton County: 1,134 USDHancock County: 587 USDHardeman County: 825 USDHardin County: 880 USDHawkins County: 900 USDHaywood County: 904 USDHenderson County: 880 USDHenry County: 800 USDHickman County: 866 USDHouston County: 693 USDHumphreys County: 992 USDJackson County: 756 USDJefferson County: 924 USDJohnson County: 888 USDKnox County: 1,103 USDLake County: 739 USDLauderdale County: 837 USDLawrence County: 775 USDLewis County: 731 USDLincoln County: 830 USDLoudon County: 945 USDMcMinn County: 903 USDMcNairy County: 749 USDMacon County: 719 USDMadison County: 963 USDMarion County: 821 USDMarshall County: 885 USDMaury County: 1,031 USDMeigs County: 907 USDMonroe County: 821 USDMontgomery County: 861 USDMoore County: 1,016 USDMorgan County: 763 USDObion County: 809 USDOverton County: 769 USDPerry County: 662 USDPickett County: 629 USDPolk County: 723 USDPutnam County: 856 USDRhea County: 1,001 USDRoane County: 1,449 USDRobertson County: 886 USDRutherford County: 1,050 USDScott County: 680 USDSequatchie County: 736 USDSevier County: 733 USDShelby County: 1,278 USDSmith County: 905 USDStewart County: 1,038 USDSullivan County: 1,071 USDSumner County: 973 USDTipton County: 849 USDTrousdale County: 833 USDUnicoi County: 965 USDUnion County: 809 USDVan Buren County: 724 USDWarren County: 816 USDWashington County: 935 USDWayne County: 775 USDWeakley County: 768 USDWhite County: 779 USDWilliamson County: 1,509 USDWilson County: 955 USD
  • Under 740
  • 740 to 790
  • 790 to 840
  • 840 to 900
  • 900 to 980
  • 980 and over
USD, 2021. 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, 2021

Williamson County: 1,509 USDWilliamson County1,509Roane County: 1,449 USDRoane County1,449Davidson County: 1,392 USDDavidson County1,392Anderson County: 1,286 USDAnderson County1,286Shelby County: 1,278 USDShelby County1,278Hamilton County: 1,134 USDHamilton County1,134Knox County: 1,103 USDKnox County1,103Sullivan County: 1,071 USDSullivan County1,071Rutherford County: 1,050 USDRutherford County1,050Blount County: 1,045 USDBlount County1,045Stewart County: 1,038 USDStewart County1,038Maury County: 1,031 USDMaury County1,031Moore County: 1,016 USDMoore County1,016Rhea County: 1,001 USDRhea County1,001Humphreys County: 992 USDHumphreys County992Coffee County: 981 USDCoffee County981Sumner County: 973 USDSumner County973Unicoi County: 965 USDUnicoi County965Cheatham County: 964 USDCheatham County964Madison County: 963 USDMadison County963Wilson County: 955 USDWilson County955Loudon County: 945 USDLoudon County945Washington County: 935 USDWashington County935Bradley County: 928 USDBradley County928Fayette County: 925 USDFayette County925Jefferson County: 924 USDJefferson County924Dyer County: 912 USDDyer County912Meigs County: 907 USDMeigs County907Crockett County: 906 USDCrockett County906Smith County: 905 USDSmith County905Haywood County: 904 USDHaywood County904McMinn County: 903 USDMcMinn County903Hawkins County: 900 USDHawkins County900Bedford County: 889 USDBedford County889Johnson County: 888 USDJohnson County888Robertson County: 886 USDRobertson County886Marshall County: 885 USDMarshall County885Grainger County: 881 USDGrainger County881Hardin County: 880 USDHardin County880Henderson County: 880 USDHenderson County880Williamson County: 1,509 USDWilliamson County1,509Roane County: 1,449 USDRoane County1,449Davidson County: 1,392 USDDavidson County1,392Anderson County: 1,286 USDAnderson County1,286Shelby County: 1,278 USDShelby County1,278Hamilton County: 1,134 USDHamilton County1,134Knox County: 1,103 USDKnox County1,103Sullivan County: 1,071 USDSullivan County1,071Rutherford County: 1,050 USDRutherford County1,050Blount County: 1,045 USDBlount County1,045Stewart County: 1,038 USDStewart County1,038Maury County: 1,031 USDMaury County1,031Moore County: 1,016 USDMoore County1,016Rhea County: 1,001 USDRhea County1,001Humphreys County: 992 USDHumphreys County992Coffee County: 981 USDCoffee County981Sumner County: 973 USDSumner County973Unicoi County: 965 USDUnicoi County965Cheatham County: 964 USDCheatham County964Madison County: 963 USDMadison County963Wilson County: 955 USDWilson County955Loudon County: 945 USDLoudon County945Washington County: 935 USDWashington County935Bradley County: 928 USDBradley County928Fayette County: 925 USDFayette County925Jefferson County: 924 USDJefferson County924Dyer County: 912 USDDyer County912Meigs County: 907 USDMeigs County907Crockett County: 906 USDCrockett County906Smith County: 905 USDSmith County905Haywood County: 904 USDHaywood County904McMinn County: 903 USDMcMinn County903Hawkins County: 900 USDHawkins County900Bedford County: 889 USDBedford County889Johnson County: 888 USDJohnson County888Robertson County: 886 USDRobertson County886Marshall County: 885 USDMarshall County885Grainger County: 881 USDGrainger County881Hardin County: 880 USDHardin County880Henderson County: 880 USDHenderson County880
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

RankCounties2021
USD
Change on 2020
1Williamson County1,509+7.2%
2Roane County1,449+3.3%
3Davidson County1,392+8.3%
4Anderson County1,286+6%
5Shelby County1,278+7.4%
6Hamilton County1,134+6.6%
7Knox County1,103+6.9%
8Sullivan County1,071+9.1%
9Rutherford County1,050+5.6%
10Blount County1,045+8.5%
11Stewart County1,038+3.2%
12Maury County1,031+7.2%
13Moore County1,016+10.7%
14Rhea County1,001+4.1%
15Humphreys County992+5.6%
16Coffee County981+5%
17Sumner County973+6.5%
18Unicoi County965+7.3%
19Cheatham County964+4.6%
20Madison County963+6.8%
21Wilson County955+7.4%
22Loudon County945+5.5%
23Washington County935+5.1%
24Bradley County928+6.2%
25Fayette County925+2.8%
26Jefferson County924+4.2%
27Dyer County912+7.4%
28Meigs County907+7%
29Crockett County906-0.1%
30Smith County905+2%
31Haywood County904+7.9%
32McMinn County903+2.4%
33Hawkins County900+6.3%
34Bedford County889+7%
35Johnson County888+3.1%
36Robertson County886+6.9%
37Marshall County885+4.7%
38Grainger County881+10.8%
39Hardin County880+1.1%
39Henderson County880+19.7%
41Dickson County875+6.3%
42Hickman County866+8.3%
43Hamblen County863+6.7%
44Franklin County861+7.1%
44Montgomery County861+5.6%
46Putnam County856+7%
47Tipton County849+2.9%
48Greene County840+6.2%
49Lauderdale County837+4.1%
50Giles County834+2.2%
51Gibson County833+7.1%
51Trousdale County833+1.2%
53Lincoln County830+9.6%
54Hardeman County825+2%
55Cocke County824+8%
56Marion County821+4.6%
56Monroe County821+5.3%
58DeKalb County819+5%
59Warren County816+5.2%
60Obion County809+4.8%
60Union County809+10.8%
62Henry County800+3.2%
63Benton County798+9%
64Claiborne County790+7.5%
65Decatur County783+3.4%
66Cannon County779+6.4%
66White County779+8.2%
68Bledsoe County778+6.7%
69Lawrence County775+5.3%
69Wayne County775+2.6%
71Overton County769+0.8%
72Weakley County768+5.9%
73Carter County764+2.4%
74Morgan County763+5.4%
75Cumberland County759+8.3%
76Jackson County756+5.1%
77McNairy County749+6.5%
78Campbell County741+3.1%
78Chester County741+1%
80Lake County739+4.2%
81Sequatchie County736+5.3%
82Sevier County733+7.8%
83Lewis County731+4.7%
84Van Buren County724+10.4%
85Polk County723+6.5%
86Macon County719+5.9%
87Carroll County700+6.9%
88Houston County693+2.8%
89Fentress County684+5.1%
90Clay County682+4.4%
91Scott County680+5.8%
92Perry County662+0.6%
93Grundy County652+8.8%
94Pickett County629+2.8%
95Hancock County587-2.2%

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/2021/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), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/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), 2021. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2021. 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), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2021.

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), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_tennessee_by_2021,
  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), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2021. 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/2021/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), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/average-weekly-wage/tennessee-counties?period=2021.
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/2021/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 $1,509 in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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

Hancock County, with $587 in 2021.

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