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 over 21,000 people living and working here and nearly 13,000 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.
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 | 10,353 | 25.8% |
| Retail Trade | 4,724 | 11.8% |
| Health Care, Social & Educational Services | 3,924 | 9.8% |
| Government, State & Local | 4,000 | 10% |
| Administrative & Support Services | 3,259 | 8.1% |
| Finance, Insurance & Real Estate | 2,165 | 5.4% |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,355 | 3.4% |
| Construction | 1,773 | 4.4% |
| Accommodation & Food Services | 2,935 | 7.3% |
| Other Services, except Public Admin. | 1,981 | 4.9% |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | 882 | 2.2% |
| All Other | 1,486 | 3.7% |
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis – 2019 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 $967.00 (Q4 2019 Avg., TN Dept. of Labor & Workforce Dev.)
· Unemployment Rate was 4.5% in Hamblen County (July 2021)
· Unemployment Rate ranged from 4.5 to 6.0% in the seven surrounding counties (July 2021)
