Data / Rankings / Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Tennessee

Counties in Tennessee by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Davidson County had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 95 counties in 2021, at 71.8%. Lake County had the lowest, at 30.7%. The median was 55.2% and the figure for Tennessee was 61.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest71.8Davidson County
Lowest30.7Lake County
Median55.295 counties
Tennessee61.8History

Map of counties, 2021

Anderson County: 55.7 %Bedford County: 61.7 %Benton County: 47.3 %Bledsoe County: 47.7 %Blount County: 60.5 %Bradley County: 61.5 %Campbell County: 52.7 %Cannon County: 55.7 %Carroll County: 53.1 %Carter County: 51.9 %Cheatham County: 65.1 %Chester County: 51.6 %Claiborne County: 52.9 %Clay County: 44.8 %Cocke County: 52.9 %Coffee County: 60.8 %Crockett County: 58.6 %Cumberland County: 46.3 %Davidson County: 71.8 %Decatur County: 51.5 %DeKalb County: 52.8 %Dickson County: 61.5 %Dyer County: 59.4 %Fayette County: 56.1 %Fentress County: 50.3 %Franklin County: 55.5 %Gibson County: 56.5 %Giles County: 56.7 %Grainger County: 52.9 %Greene County: 52.8 %Grundy County: 50.8 %Hamblen County: 57.3 %Hamilton County: 63.3 %Hancock County: 45.6 %Hardeman County: 45.5 %Hardin County: 50.3 %Hawkins County: 50.6 %Haywood County: 56.1 %Henderson County: 55.5 %Henry County: 49 %Hickman County: 53 %Houston County: 51 %Humphreys County: 56.1 %Jackson County: 51.1 %Jefferson County: 57 %Johnson County: 41.8 %Knox County: 64.3 %Lake County: 30.7 %Lauderdale County: 47.8 %Lawrence County: 56.8 %Lewis County: 50 %Lincoln County: 59.1 %Loudon County: 55.9 %McMinn County: 54.8 %McNairy County: 49 %Macon County: 60.3 %Madison County: 59.6 %Marion County: 55.2 %Marshall County: 61.7 %Maury County: 65.2 %Meigs County: 51.4 %Monroe County: 51.1 %Montgomery County: 66.9 %Moore County: 57.3 %Morgan County: 44.1 %Obion County: 55.8 %Overton County: 54.5 %Perry County: 49.6 %Pickett County: 43.4 %Polk County: 55.2 %Putnam County: 60.3 %Rhea County: 53.3 %Roane County: 54.7 %Robertson County: 64.4 %Rutherford County: 71.2 %Scott County: 51.9 %Sequatchie County: 51.3 %Sevier County: 60 %Shelby County: 64.5 %Smith County: 59.9 %Stewart County: 55.3 %Sullivan County: 55.4 %Sumner County: 66.5 %Tipton County: 60.7 %Trousdale County: 53.6 %Unicoi County: 54.1 %Union County: 54.3 %Van Buren County: 50.7 %Warren County: 57.9 %Washington County: 58.9 %Wayne County: 46 %Weakley County: 52.9 %White County: 52.7 %Williamson County: 68.4 %Wilson County: 65.8 %
  • Under 50
  • 50 to 53
  • 53 to 55
  • 55 to 57
  • 57 to 61
  • 61 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Davidson County: 71.8 %Davidson County71.8Rutherford County: 71.2 %Rutherford County71.2Williamson County: 68.4 %Williamson County68.4Montgomery County: 66.9 %Montgomery County66.9Sumner County: 66.5 %Sumner County66.5Wilson County: 65.8 %Wilson County65.8Maury County: 65.2 %Maury County65.2Cheatham County: 65.1 %Cheatham County65.1Shelby County: 64.5 %Shelby County64.5Robertson County: 64.4 %Robertson County64.4Knox County: 64.3 %Knox County64.3Hamilton County: 63.3 %Hamilton County63.3Bedford County: 61.7 %Bedford County61.7Marshall County: 61.7 %Marshall County61.7Dickson County: 61.5 %Dickson County61.5Bradley County: 61.5 %Bradley County61.5Coffee County: 60.8 %Coffee County60.8Tipton County: 60.7 %Tipton County60.7Blount County: 60.5 %Blount County60.5Macon County: 60.3 %Macon County60.3Putnam County: 60.3 %Putnam County60.3Sevier County: 60 %Sevier County60Smith County: 59.9 %Smith County59.9Madison County: 59.6 %Madison County59.6Dyer County: 59.4 %Dyer County59.4Lincoln County: 59.1 %Lincoln County59.1Washington County: 58.9 %Washington County58.9Crockett County: 58.6 %Crockett County58.6Warren County: 57.9 %Warren County57.9Hamblen County: 57.3 %Hamblen County57.3Moore County: 57.3 %Moore County57.3Jefferson County: 57 %Jefferson County57Lawrence County: 56.8 %Lawrence County56.8Giles County: 56.7 %Giles County56.7Gibson County: 56.5 %Gibson County56.5Fayette County: 56.1 %Fayette County56.1Humphreys County: 56.1 %Humphreys County56.1Haywood County: 56.1 %Haywood County56.1Loudon County: 55.9 %Loudon County55.9Obion County: 55.8 %Obion County55.8Davidson County: 71.8 %Davidson County71.8Rutherford County: 71.2 %Rutherford County71.2Williamson County: 68.4 %Williamson County68.4Montgomery County: 66.9 %Montgomery County66.9Sumner County: 66.5 %Sumner County66.5Wilson County: 65.8 %Wilson County65.8Maury County: 65.2 %Maury County65.2Cheatham County: 65.1 %Cheatham County65.1Shelby County: 64.5 %Shelby County64.5Robertson County: 64.4 %Robertson County64.4Knox County: 64.3 %Knox County64.3Hamilton County: 63.3 %Hamilton County63.3Bedford County: 61.7 %Bedford County61.7Marshall County: 61.7 %Marshall County61.7Dickson County: 61.5 %Dickson County61.5Bradley County: 61.5 %Bradley County61.5Coffee County: 60.8 %Coffee County60.8Tipton County: 60.7 %Tipton County60.7Blount County: 60.5 %Blount County60.5Macon County: 60.3 %Macon County60.3Putnam County: 60.3 %Putnam County60.3Sevier County: 60 %Sevier County60Smith County: 59.9 %Smith County59.9Madison County: 59.6 %Madison County59.6Dyer County: 59.4 %Dyer County59.4Lincoln County: 59.1 %Lincoln County59.1Washington County: 58.9 %Washington County58.9Crockett County: 58.6 %Crockett County58.6Warren County: 57.9 %Warren County57.9Hamblen County: 57.3 %Hamblen County57.3Moore County: 57.3 %Moore County57.3Jefferson County: 57 %Jefferson County57Lawrence County: 56.8 %Lawrence County56.8Giles County: 56.7 %Giles County56.7Gibson County: 56.5 %Gibson County56.5Fayette County: 56.1 %Fayette County56.1Humphreys County: 56.1 %Humphreys County56.1Haywood County: 56.1 %Haywood County56.1Loudon County: 55.9 %Loudon County55.9Obion County: 55.8 %Obion County55.8
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Davidson County71.8
2Rutherford County71.2
3Williamson County68.4
4Montgomery County66.9
5Sumner County66.5
6Wilson County65.8
7Maury County65.2
8Cheatham County65.1
9Shelby County64.5
10Robertson County64.4
11Knox County64.3
12Hamilton County63.3
13Bedford County61.7
14Marshall County61.7
15Dickson County61.5
16Bradley County61.5
17Coffee County60.8
18Tipton County60.7
19Blount County60.5
20Macon County60.3
20Putnam County60.3
22Sevier County60
23Smith County59.9
24Madison County59.6
25Dyer County59.4
26Lincoln County59.1
27Washington County58.9
28Crockett County58.6
29Warren County57.9
30Hamblen County57.3
31Moore County57.3
32Jefferson County57
33Lawrence County56.8
34Giles County56.7
35Gibson County56.5
36Fayette County56.1
37Humphreys County56.1
38Haywood County56.1
39Loudon County55.9
40Obion County55.8
41Cannon County55.7
42Anderson County55.7
43Franklin County55.5
44Henderson County55.5
45Sullivan County55.4
46Stewart County55.3
47Polk County55.2
48Marion County55.2
49McMinn County54.8
50Roane County54.7
51Overton County54.5
52Union County54.3
53Unicoi County54.1
54Trousdale County53.6
55Rhea County53.3
56Carroll County53.1
57Hickman County53
58Weakley County52.9
59Claiborne County52.9
60Cocke County52.9
61Grainger County52.9
62DeKalb County52.8
63Greene County52.8
64Campbell County52.7
65White County52.7
66Scott County51.9
67Carter County51.9
68Chester County51.6
69Decatur County51.5
70Meigs County51.4
71Sequatchie County51.3
72Monroe County51.1
73Jackson County51.1
74Houston County51
75Grundy County50.8
76Van Buren County50.7
77Hawkins County50.6
78Fentress County50.3
79Hardin County50.3
80Lewis County50
81Perry County49.6
82McNairy County49
83Henry County49
84Lauderdale County47.8
85Bledsoe County47.7
86Benton County47.3
87Cumberland County46.3
88Wayne County46
89Hancock County45.6
90Hardeman County45.5
91Clay County44.8
92Morgan County44.1
93Pickett County43.4
94Johnson County41.8
95Lake County30.7

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 16 and over in the labor force (employed, unemployed or in the Armed Forces) as a percentage of all people aged 16 and over, including people in group quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The Census Bureau definition used in its data profiles. It differs from the BLS labor_force_participation_rate, which counts the civilian noninstitutional population only.

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. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. 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. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Tennessee by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Tennessee by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/tennessee-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Tennessee by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/tennessee-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Tennessee by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/tennessee-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_tennessee_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Tennessee by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/tennessee-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Tennessee by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/tennessee-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/tennessee-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Davidson County, with 71.8% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Lake County, with 30.7% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings