As the geographic center of East Tennessee, Morristown pulls most of its labor force from Hamblen and seven surrounding counties with a combined population of nearly 350,000 people.
With nearly 13,000 people living and working here and over 19,000 commuting in to the county to work, Hamblen County has long been considered a hub for employment. Residents of the seven closest counties drive into Hamblen County in half an hour or less. Source: Census.gov – On The Map Data
With nearly 100 manufacturers in the community, we have a strong manufacturing workforce representing over 24% of the total workforce in Hamblen County.
Employment By Industry – Hamblen County
| Industry | # Jobs | % of Total |
| Manufacturing | 10,008 | 23.7% |
| Retail Trade | 4,840 | 11.5% |
| Health Care, Social & Educational Services | 3,812 | 9.0% |
| Government, State & Local | 3,882 | 9.2% |
| Administrative & Support Services | 4,194 | 9.9% |
| Finance, Insurance & Real Estate | 2,620 | 6.2% |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,557 | 3.7% |
| Construction | 2,211 | 5.2% |
| Accommodation & Food Services | 3,043 | 7.2% |
| Other Services, except Public Admin. | 1,893 | 4.5% |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | 949 | 2.3% |
| All Other | 1,584 | 3.8% |
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis – 2022 Employment by Industry
Having an available workforce with well-trained employees is vital to attracting industry & business to Morristown and Hamblen County. Programs through TN College of Applied Technology and Walters State Community College provide for both current and future needs for skilled and semi-skilled workers.
Other Labor Characteristics include:
· Tennessee is a right-to-work state.
· Hamblen County’s average weekly manufacturing wage is $1,079.00 (Q2 2023 Avg., Bureau of Labor Statistics)
· Unemployment Rate was 3.6% in Hamblen County (September 2024, TN Dept. of Labor & Workforce Dev.)
· Unemployment Rate ranged from 3.7 to 4.5% in the seven surrounding counties (September 2024, TN Dept. of Labor & Workforce Dev.)
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