Counties in Tennessee by wages and salaries paid

Davidson County had the highest wages and salaries paid of 95 counties in 2021, at $38.73 billion. Pickett County had the lowest, at $35.96 million. The median was $411.44 million and the figure for Tennessee was $185.81 billion. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest38,734.3Davidson County
Median411.495 counties
Tennessee185,805.8History

Map of counties, 2021

Anderson County: 2,929.9 USD millionBedford County: 821.6 USD millionBenton County: 190.4 USD millionBledsoe County: 82.6 USD millionBlount County: 2,995.7 USD millionBradley County: 2,189.4 USD millionCampbell County: 411.4 USD millionCannon County: 111.6 USD millionCarroll County: 327.9 USD millionCarter County: 517.1 USD millionCheatham County: 501.5 USD millionChester County: 170.7 USD millionClaiborne County: 405.3 USD millionClay County: 62.2 USD millionCocke County: 353.9 USD millionCoffee County: 1,412.5 USD millionCrockett County: 198.6 USD millionCumberland County: 751 USD millionDavidson County: 38,734.3 USD millionDecatur County: 144.8 USD millionDeKalb County: 281.9 USD millionDickson County: 869.9 USD millionDyer County: 784.8 USD millionFayette County: 430.5 USD millionFentress County: 206.7 USD millionFranklin County: 557.5 USD millionGibson County: 677.1 USD millionGiles County: 459.8 USD millionGrainger County: 208.7 USD millionGreene County: 1,178.7 USD millionGrundy County: 82.5 USD millionHamblen County: 1,526.6 USD millionHamilton County: 12,929.9 USD millionHancock County: 37 USD millionHardeman County: 285.7 USD millionHardin County: 396 USD millionHawkins County: 622.6 USD millionHaywood County: 250.4 USD millionHenderson County: 384.5 USD millionHenry County: 505.6 USD millionHickman County: 192 USD millionHouston County: 57.9 USD millionHumphreys County: 322.1 USD millionJackson County: 69.4 USD millionJefferson County: 700.5 USD millionJohnson County: 212.2 USD millionKnox County: 14,885.1 USD millionLake County: 55.4 USD millionLauderdale County: 312.8 USD millionLawrence County: 491.7 USD millionLewis County: 132.9 USD millionLincoln County: 443.9 USD millionLoudon County: 920.5 USD millionMcMinn County: 919.7 USD millionMcNairy County: 224.9 USD millionMacon County: 206.1 USD millionMadison County: 3,139.7 USD millionMarion County: 360.6 USD millionMarshall County: 468.7 USD millionMaury County: 2,104.5 USD millionMeigs County: 117.7 USD millionMonroe County: 688 USD millionMontgomery County: 2,855.5 USD millionMoore County: 126.6 USD millionMorgan County: 131.4 USD millionObion County: 509 USD millionOverton County: 222.5 USD millionPerry County: 61.8 USD millionPickett County: 36 USD millionPolk County: 105.2 USD millionPutnam County: 1,809.3 USD millionRhea County: 641.5 USD millionRoane County: 1,586.3 USD millionRobertson County: 1,113.9 USD millionRutherford County: 7,902.6 USD millionScott County: 217.8 USD millionSequatchie County: 131.7 USD millionSevier County: 2,096.4 USD millionShelby County: 34,485.8 USD millionSmith County: 256.5 USD millionStewart County: 168.4 USD millionSullivan County: 3,965.1 USD millionSumner County: 3,201.6 USD millionTipton County: 596.7 USD millionTrousdale County: 88.2 USD millionUnicoi County: 264.2 USD millionUnion County: 122 USD millionVan Buren County: 38.9 USD millionWarren County: 583.6 USD millionWashington County: 3,252.9 USD millionWayne County: 173.9 USD millionWeakley County: 477.3 USD millionWhite County: 303.5 USD millionWilliamson County: 12,225.5 USD millionWilson County: 3,037.7 USD million
  • Under 100
  • 100 to 200
  • 200 to 400
  • 400 to 700
  • 700 to 2,100
  • 2,100 and over
USD million, 2021. 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, 2021

Davidson County: 38,734.3 USD millionDavidson County38,734.3Shelby County: 34,485.8 USD millionShelby County34,485.8Knox County: 14,885.1 USD millionKnox County14,885.1Hamilton County: 12,929.9 USD millionHamilton County12,929.9Williamson County: 12,225.5 USD millionWilliamson County12,225.5Rutherford County: 7,902.6 USD millionRutherford County7,902.6Sullivan County: 3,965.1 USD millionSullivan County3,965.1Washington County: 3,252.9 USD millionWashington County3,252.9Sumner County: 3,201.6 USD millionSumner County3,201.6Madison County: 3,139.7 USD millionMadison County3,139.7Wilson County: 3,037.7 USD millionWilson County3,037.7Blount County: 2,995.7 USD millionBlount County2,995.7Anderson County: 2,929.9 USD millionAnderson County2,929.9Montgomery County: 2,855.5 USD millionMontgomery County2,855.5Bradley County: 2,189.4 USD millionBradley County2,189.4Maury County: 2,104.5 USD millionMaury County2,104.5Sevier County: 2,096.4 USD millionSevier County2,096.4Putnam County: 1,809.3 USD millionPutnam County1,809.3Roane County: 1,586.3 USD millionRoane County1,586.3Hamblen County: 1,526.6 USD millionHamblen County1,526.6Coffee County: 1,412.5 USD millionCoffee County1,412.5Greene County: 1,178.7 USD millionGreene County1,178.7Robertson County: 1,113.9 USD millionRobertson County1,113.9Loudon County: 920.5 USD millionLoudon County920.5McMinn County: 919.7 USD millionMcMinn County919.7Dickson County: 869.9 USD millionDickson County869.9Bedford County: 821.6 USD millionBedford County821.6Dyer County: 784.8 USD millionDyer County784.8Cumberland County: 751 USD millionCumberland County751Jefferson County: 700.5 USD millionJefferson County700.5Monroe County: 688 USD millionMonroe County688Gibson County: 677.1 USD millionGibson County677.1Rhea County: 641.5 USD millionRhea County641.5Hawkins County: 622.6 USD millionHawkins County622.6Tipton County: 596.7 USD millionTipton County596.7Warren County: 583.6 USD millionWarren County583.6Franklin County: 557.5 USD millionFranklin County557.5Carter County: 517.1 USD millionCarter County517.1Obion County: 509 USD millionObion County509Henry County: 505.6 USD millionHenry County505.6Davidson County: 38,734.3 USD millionDavidson County38,734.3Shelby County: 34,485.8 USD millionShelby County34,485.8Knox County: 14,885.1 USD millionKnox County14,885.1Hamilton County: 12,929.9 USD millionHamilton County12,929.9Williamson County: 12,225.5 USD millionWilliamson County12,225.5Rutherford County: 7,902.6 USD millionRutherford County7,902.6Sullivan County: 3,965.1 USD millionSullivan County3,965.1Washington County: 3,252.9 USD millionWashington County3,252.9Sumner County: 3,201.6 USD millionSumner County3,201.6Madison County: 3,139.7 USD millionMadison County3,139.7Wilson County: 3,037.7 USD millionWilson County3,037.7Blount County: 2,995.7 USD millionBlount County2,995.7Anderson County: 2,929.9 USD millionAnderson County2,929.9Montgomery County: 2,855.5 USD millionMontgomery County2,855.5Bradley County: 2,189.4 USD millionBradley County2,189.4Maury County: 2,104.5 USD millionMaury County2,104.5Sevier County: 2,096.4 USD millionSevier County2,096.4Putnam County: 1,809.3 USD millionPutnam County1,809.3Roane County: 1,586.3 USD millionRoane County1,586.3Hamblen County: 1,526.6 USD millionHamblen County1,526.6Coffee County: 1,412.5 USD millionCoffee County1,412.5Greene County: 1,178.7 USD millionGreene County1,178.7Robertson County: 1,113.9 USD millionRobertson County1,113.9Loudon County: 920.5 USD millionLoudon County920.5McMinn County: 919.7 USD millionMcMinn County919.7Dickson County: 869.9 USD millionDickson County869.9Bedford County: 821.6 USD millionBedford County821.6Dyer County: 784.8 USD millionDyer County784.8Cumberland County: 751 USD millionCumberland County751Jefferson County: 700.5 USD millionJefferson County700.5Monroe County: 688 USD millionMonroe County688Gibson County: 677.1 USD millionGibson County677.1Rhea County: 641.5 USD millionRhea County641.5Hawkins County: 622.6 USD millionHawkins County622.6Tipton County: 596.7 USD millionTipton County596.7Warren County: 583.6 USD millionWarren County583.6Franklin County: 557.5 USD millionFranklin County557.5Carter County: 517.1 USD millionCarter County517.1Obion County: 509 USD millionObion County509Henry County: 505.6 USD millionHenry County505.6
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

RankCounties2021
USD million
Change on 2020
1Davidson County38,734.3+14.1%
2Shelby County34,485.8+9.2%
3Knox County14,885.1+10.8%
4Hamilton County12,929.9+8.4%
5Williamson County12,225.5+13.2%
6Rutherford County7,902.6+10%
7Sullivan County3,965.1+9.9%
8Washington County3,252.9+10%
9Sumner County3,201.6+12.3%
10Madison County3,139.7+10%
11Wilson County3,037.7+19.7%
12Blount County2,995.7+13.8%
13Anderson County2,929.9+11.3%
14Montgomery County2,855.5+10.1%
15Bradley County2,189.4+3.3%
16Maury County2,104.5+10.5%
17Sevier County2,096.4+17.2%
18Putnam County1,809.3+11.1%
19Roane County1,586.3+6.1%
20Hamblen County1,526.6+8.8%
21Coffee County1,412.5+5%
22Greene County1,178.7+9.1%
23Robertson County1,113.9+8.6%
24Loudon County920.5+8.8%
25McMinn County919.7+3.4%
26Dickson County869.9+9.4%
27Bedford County821.6+12.4%
28Dyer County784.8+13.7%
29Cumberland County751+10%
30Jefferson County700.5+6.9%
31Monroe County688+14.2%
32Gibson County677.1+7.5%
33Rhea County641.5+15%
34Hawkins County622.6+7.2%
35Tipton County596.7+8.7%
36Warren County583.6+5.5%
37Franklin County557.5+9.9%
38Carter County517.1+6%
39Obion County509+8.5%
40Henry County505.6+6.5%
41Cheatham County501.5+11.8%
42Lawrence County491.7+7.6%
43Weakley County477.3+6.8%
44Marshall County468.7+9.4%
45Giles County459.8+5.2%
46Lincoln County443.9+15.5%
47Fayette County430.5+6.1%
48Campbell County411.4+4.9%
49Claiborne County405.3+10%
50Hardin County396+2.6%
51Henderson County384.5+20.2%
52Marion County360.6+9.3%
53Cocke County353.9+10.2%
54Carroll County327.9+2.5%
55Humphreys County322.1+3.7%
56Lauderdale County312.8+5.1%
57White County303.5+7.6%
58Hardeman County285.7-2.3%
59DeKalb County281.9+9.4%
60Unicoi County264.2+9.1%
61Smith County256.5+2.4%
62Haywood County250.4+6.9%
63McNairy County224.9+4.8%
64Overton County222.5+6.8%
65Scott County217.8+5.7%
66Johnson County212.2+6%
67Grainger County208.7+13.4%
68Fentress County206.7+6.8%
69Macon County206.1+2.2%
70Crockett County198.6+0.5%
71Hickman County192+11.6%
72Benton County190.4+12.6%
73Wayne County173.9+1%
74Chester County170.7+8.8%
75Stewart County168.4+4.1%
76Decatur County144.8+0.6%
77Lewis County132.9+12.5%
78Sequatchie County131.7+10.6%
79Morgan County131.4+6.9%
80Moore County126.6+12.2%
81Union County122+11.9%
82Meigs County117.7+10.6%
83Cannon County111.6+7.2%
84Polk County105.2+11.9%
85Trousdale County88.2+5.6%
86Bledsoe County82.6+10.8%
87Grundy County82.5+7.5%
88Jackson County69.4+11.5%
89Clay County62.2+6.6%
90Perry County61.8-2.5%
91Houston County57.9+1.7%
92Lake County55.4+5.4%
93Van Buren County38.9+11.5%
94Hancock County37+8.3%
95Pickett County36+0.8%

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, 2021) [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, 2021. 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=2021. 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, 2021. 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=2021.

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, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://apps.bea.gov/regional/zip/CAINC4.zip, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/tennessee-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_tennessee_by_2021,
  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, 2021}},
  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=2021. 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, 2021
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=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/wages-and-salaries/tennessee-counties?period=2021.
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 $38.73 billion in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Which county has the lowest wages and salaries paid?

Pickett County, with $35.96 million 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 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