Counties in Tennessee by wages and salaries paid

Davidson County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 95 counties in 2020, at $33.96 billion. Hancock County had the lowest, at $34.19 million. The median was $385.81 million and the figure for Tennessee was $167.77 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest33,960.1Davidson County
Lowest34.2Hancock County
Median385.895 counties
Tennessee167,768.9History

Map of counties, 2020

Anderson County: 2,632.8 USD millionBedford County: 730.9 USD millionBenton County: 169.1 USD millionBledsoe County: 74.6 USD millionBlount County: 2,632.6 USD millionBradley County: 2,119.1 USD millionCampbell County: 392.4 USD millionCannon County: 104.1 USD millionCarroll County: 319.9 USD millionCarter County: 488 USD millionCheatham County: 448.7 USD millionChester County: 156.9 USD millionClaiborne County: 368.5 USD millionClay County: 58.3 USD millionCocke County: 321.3 USD millionCoffee County: 1,345.5 USD millionCrockett County: 197.6 USD millionCumberland County: 682.8 USD millionDavidson County: 33,960.1 USD millionDecatur County: 144 USD millionDeKalb County: 257.6 USD millionDickson County: 795.3 USD millionDyer County: 690.1 USD millionFayette County: 405.6 USD millionFentress County: 193.5 USD millionFranklin County: 507.4 USD millionGibson County: 629.6 USD millionGiles County: 437 USD millionGrainger County: 184 USD millionGreene County: 1,079.9 USD millionGrundy County: 76.7 USD millionHamblen County: 1,403.6 USD millionHamilton County: 11,927.8 USD millionHancock County: 34.2 USD millionHardeman County: 292.3 USD millionHardin County: 385.8 USD millionHawkins County: 580.9 USD millionHaywood County: 234.2 USD millionHenderson County: 320 USD millionHenry County: 474.8 USD millionHickman County: 172.1 USD millionHouston County: 56.9 USD millionHumphreys County: 310.6 USD millionJackson County: 62.2 USD millionJefferson County: 655.2 USD millionJohnson County: 200.2 USD millionKnox County: 13,433.1 USD millionLake County: 52.6 USD millionLauderdale County: 297.7 USD millionLawrence County: 456.9 USD millionLewis County: 118.1 USD millionLincoln County: 384.2 USD millionLoudon County: 846.2 USD millionMcMinn County: 889.8 USD millionMcNairy County: 214.7 USD millionMacon County: 201.6 USD millionMadison County: 2,853.7 USD millionMarion County: 329.9 USD millionMarshall County: 428.4 USD millionMaury County: 1,904.7 USD millionMeigs County: 106.4 USD millionMonroe County: 602.6 USD millionMontgomery County: 2,594.1 USD millionMoore County: 112.9 USD millionMorgan County: 122.9 USD millionObion County: 469.2 USD millionOverton County: 208.4 USD millionPerry County: 63.4 USD millionPickett County: 35.7 USD millionPolk County: 94 USD millionPutnam County: 1,629.1 USD millionRhea County: 557.7 USD millionRoane County: 1,495.4 USD millionRobertson County: 1,025.7 USD millionRutherford County: 7,183.9 USD millionScott County: 206 USD millionSequatchie County: 119.1 USD millionSevier County: 1,788.4 USD millionShelby County: 31,588.9 USD millionSmith County: 250.4 USD millionStewart County: 161.8 USD millionSullivan County: 3,607.7 USD millionSumner County: 2,851.1 USD millionTipton County: 549 USD millionTrousdale County: 83.5 USD millionUnicoi County: 242.2 USD millionUnion County: 109 USD millionVan Buren County: 34.9 USD millionWarren County: 553.1 USD millionWashington County: 2,957.3 USD millionWayne County: 172.2 USD millionWeakley County: 446.7 USD millionWhite County: 282.2 USD millionWilliamson County: 10,800.6 USD millionWilson County: 2,537.1 USD million
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 400
  • 400 to 600
  • 600 to 1,800
  • 1,800 and over
USD million, 2020. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2020

Davidson County: 33,960.1 USD millionDavidson County33,960.1Shelby County: 31,588.9 USD millionShelby County31,588.9Knox County: 13,433.1 USD millionKnox County13,433.1Hamilton County: 11,927.8 USD millionHamilton County11,927.8Williamson County: 10,800.6 USD millionWilliamson County10,800.6Rutherford County: 7,183.9 USD millionRutherford County7,183.9Sullivan County: 3,607.7 USD millionSullivan County3,607.7Washington County: 2,957.3 USD millionWashington County2,957.3Madison County: 2,853.7 USD millionMadison County2,853.7Sumner County: 2,851.1 USD millionSumner County2,851.1Anderson County: 2,632.8 USD millionAnderson County2,632.8Blount County: 2,632.6 USD millionBlount County2,632.6Montgomery County: 2,594.1 USD millionMontgomery County2,594.1Wilson County: 2,537.1 USD millionWilson County2,537.1Bradley County: 2,119.1 USD millionBradley County2,119.1Maury County: 1,904.7 USD millionMaury County1,904.7Sevier County: 1,788.4 USD millionSevier County1,788.4Putnam County: 1,629.1 USD millionPutnam County1,629.1Roane County: 1,495.4 USD millionRoane County1,495.4Hamblen County: 1,403.6 USD millionHamblen County1,403.6Coffee County: 1,345.5 USD millionCoffee County1,345.5Greene County: 1,079.9 USD millionGreene County1,079.9Robertson County: 1,025.7 USD millionRobertson County1,025.7McMinn County: 889.8 USD millionMcMinn County889.8Loudon County: 846.2 USD millionLoudon County846.2Dickson County: 795.3 USD millionDickson County795.3Bedford County: 730.9 USD millionBedford County730.9Dyer County: 690.1 USD millionDyer County690.1Cumberland County: 682.8 USD millionCumberland County682.8Jefferson County: 655.2 USD millionJefferson County655.2Gibson County: 629.6 USD millionGibson County629.6Monroe County: 602.6 USD millionMonroe County602.6Hawkins County: 580.9 USD millionHawkins County580.9Rhea County: 557.7 USD millionRhea County557.7Warren County: 553.1 USD millionWarren County553.1Tipton County: 549 USD millionTipton County549Franklin County: 507.4 USD millionFranklin County507.4Carter County: 488 USD millionCarter County488Henry County: 474.8 USD millionHenry County474.8Obion County: 469.2 USD millionObion County469.2Davidson County: 33,960.1 USD millionDavidson County33,960.1Shelby County: 31,588.9 USD millionShelby County31,588.9Knox County: 13,433.1 USD millionKnox County13,433.1Hamilton County: 11,927.8 USD millionHamilton County11,927.8Williamson County: 10,800.6 USD millionWilliamson County10,800.6Rutherford County: 7,183.9 USD millionRutherford County7,183.9Sullivan County: 3,607.7 USD millionSullivan County3,607.7Washington County: 2,957.3 USD millionWashington County2,957.3Madison County: 2,853.7 USD millionMadison County2,853.7Sumner County: 2,851.1 USD millionSumner County2,851.1Anderson County: 2,632.8 USD millionAnderson County2,632.8Blount County: 2,632.6 USD millionBlount County2,632.6Montgomery County: 2,594.1 USD millionMontgomery County2,594.1Wilson County: 2,537.1 USD millionWilson County2,537.1Bradley County: 2,119.1 USD millionBradley County2,119.1Maury County: 1,904.7 USD millionMaury County1,904.7Sevier County: 1,788.4 USD millionSevier County1,788.4Putnam County: 1,629.1 USD millionPutnam County1,629.1Roane County: 1,495.4 USD millionRoane County1,495.4Hamblen County: 1,403.6 USD millionHamblen County1,403.6Coffee County: 1,345.5 USD millionCoffee County1,345.5Greene County: 1,079.9 USD millionGreene County1,079.9Robertson County: 1,025.7 USD millionRobertson County1,025.7McMinn County: 889.8 USD millionMcMinn County889.8Loudon County: 846.2 USD millionLoudon County846.2Dickson County: 795.3 USD millionDickson County795.3Bedford County: 730.9 USD millionBedford County730.9Dyer County: 690.1 USD millionDyer County690.1Cumberland County: 682.8 USD millionCumberland County682.8Jefferson County: 655.2 USD millionJefferson County655.2Gibson County: 629.6 USD millionGibson County629.6Monroe County: 602.6 USD millionMonroe County602.6Hawkins County: 580.9 USD millionHawkins County580.9Rhea County: 557.7 USD millionRhea County557.7Warren County: 553.1 USD millionWarren County553.1Tipton County: 549 USD millionTipton County549Franklin County: 507.4 USD millionFranklin County507.4Carter County: 488 USD millionCarter County488Henry County: 474.8 USD millionHenry County474.8Obion County: 469.2 USD millionObion County469.2
USD million. Source: BEA, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020
USD million
Change on 2019
1Davidson County33,960.1+0.6%
2Shelby County31,588.9+2.4%
3Knox County13,433.1+4.3%
4Hamilton County11,927.8+3.3%
5Williamson County10,800.6+3.3%
6Rutherford County7,183.9-0%
7Sullivan County3,607.7+1.5%
8Washington County2,957.3+4.5%
9Madison County2,853.7+3.7%
10Sumner County2,851.1+3.6%
11Anderson County2,632.8+4.1%
12Blount County2,632.6+1.2%
13Montgomery County2,594.1+3.7%
14Wilson County2,537.1+10.3%
15Bradley County2,119.1+5.9%
16Maury County1,904.7-0.7%
17Sevier County1,788.4+0.4%
18Putnam County1,629.1+4%
19Roane County1,495.4+7.9%
20Hamblen County1,403.6+0.8%
21Coffee County1,345.5+2.3%
22Greene County1,079.9-1%
23Robertson County1,025.7+6.4%
24McMinn County889.8-0%
25Loudon County846.2+8.5%
26Dickson County795.3+1.6%
27Bedford County730.9+3.6%
28Dyer County690.1+3.2%
29Cumberland County682.8+2.3%
30Jefferson County655.2+4%
31Gibson County629.6+2.4%
32Monroe County602.6-1.5%
33Hawkins County580.9-1.8%
34Rhea County557.7+4.7%
35Warren County553.1-0.7%
36Tipton County549+13.8%
37Franklin County507.4+1.1%
38Carter County488+6.4%
39Henry County474.8-0.9%
40Obion County469.2+4.6%
41Lawrence County456.9+5.3%
42Cheatham County448.7+4.9%
43Weakley County446.7+2.9%
44Giles County437+0.4%
45Marshall County428.4-3.5%
46Fayette County405.6+7.4%
47Campbell County392.4+5.5%
48Hardin County385.8+5.8%
49Lincoln County384.2-8.4%
50Claiborne County368.5-0.5%
51Marion County329.9+3.9%
52Cocke County321.3+1%
53Henderson County320-6.5%
54Carroll County319.9-0.6%
55Humphreys County310.6-1.4%
56Lauderdale County297.7+5.6%
57Hardeman County292.3+2.3%
58White County282.2+0.7%
59DeKalb County257.6+0.3%
60Smith County250.4+3.6%
61Unicoi County242.2-0.9%
62Haywood County234.2+7.3%
63McNairy County214.7+5%
64Overton County208.4-1.8%
65Scott County206-0.7%
66Macon County201.6+3.9%
67Johnson County200.2+3.8%
68Crockett County197.6+10.6%
69Fentress County193.5+3.5%
70Grainger County184+8.5%
71Wayne County172.2+16.1%
72Hickman County172.1+12.3%
73Benton County169.1+4.2%
74Stewart County161.8+0.9%
75Chester County156.9+1.9%
76Decatur County144+2.1%
77Morgan County122.9+3.1%
78Sequatchie County119.1+7.9%
79Lewis County118.1+7.7%
80Moore County112.9+6.4%
81Union County109+4.8%
82Meigs County106.4+7.5%
83Cannon County104.1+11.7%
84Polk County94+8.1%
85Trousdale County83.5+0.9%
86Grundy County76.7+5.1%
87Bledsoe County74.6+3.4%
88Perry County63.4-4.7%
89Jackson County62.2+14.3%
90Clay County58.3+5.9%
91Houston County56.9+1.8%
92Lake County52.6-13%
93Pickett County35.7-4.9%
94Van Buren County34.9+0.7%
95Hancock County34.2+7.1%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total wages and salaries paid to employees for jobs located in a place, including tips, bonuses and pay in kind, before deductions, in millions of current US dollars. United States: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional accounts, table SAINC4 line 50 for the nation and states and CAINC4 line 50 for counties.

Counted where the jobs are, not where the workers live, so places with many commuters coming in can pay more in wages than their residents receive in personal income (the District of Columbia does). Excludes employer contributions to pensions, insurance and social security, and the income of the self-employed.

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 Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. 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 Economic Analysis. (2026). CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents (Counties in Tennessee by wages and salaries paid, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip

MLA 9

CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Tennessee by wages and salaries paid, 2020. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 5 Feb. 2026, https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/tennessee-counties?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. 2026. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Counties in Tennessee by wages and salaries paid, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/tennessee-counties?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (2026) CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents, Counties in Tennessee by wages and salaries paid, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/tennessee-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_tennessee_by_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis}},
  title = {{CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Tennessee by wages and salaries paid, 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/tennessee-counties?period=2020. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
TI  - CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents: Counties in Tennessee by wages and salaries paid, 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/02/05
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/tennessee-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/tennessee-counties?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest wages and salaries paid?

Davidson County, with $33.96 billion in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Hancock County, with $34.19 million in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, CAINC4: personal income by major component, wages and salaries (published in thousands of dollars, shown in millions), individual counties and county equivalents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Wages and salaries paid: other rankings

Counties in Tennessee: more rankings