Jobs, pay and daily life in Memphis, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Memphis is a city in Tennessee with 618,980 residents. The median household earns $51,736 a year and the median rent is $1,181 a month, which is 27.4% of the median household income. It is part of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area, where BLS counts 611,670 jobs.
How Memphis compares. Among the 80 largest places in Tennessee, Memphis is #2 by population, #3 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #77 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #63 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Shelby County, is #6 of 95 counties for average pay ($71,518).
Memphis has 618,980 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 8.8% of the population of Tennessee. It covers 290 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,136 people per square mile. The median age is 34.2, 12% younger than the state median (34.2 against 38.9).
The median gross rent is $1,181 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($1,181 against $1,189). Over a year that is 27.4% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $169,000, which is 3.3 times the median household income ($51,736); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 44.9% of households own their home, 33% below the state average (44.9% against 66.9%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area has 611,670 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,890 a year, 8% below the national median ($46,890 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are transportation and material moving (104,600 jobs, median $44,540); office and administrative support (83,140 jobs, median $45,940); sales and related (50,520 jobs, median $35,940). The area is most specialised in transportation and material moving (1.9 times) and protective service (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($116,680) and computer and mathematical ($89,420). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Shelby County was 4.4%. 63.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Shelby County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.2% drive alone, 0.8% use public transit, 1.7% walk, 9.2% work from home. 4.9% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 68% below the state average (4.9% against 15.2%).
28.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 10% below the state share (28.0% against 31.1%). 7.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 26% above the state share (7.7% against 6.1%). The poverty rate is 23.1%, 68% above the state rate (23.1% against 13.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 39°F (3.8°C). About 1,358 mm (53 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (138 mm) and Sep the driest (81 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Germantown (11 miles, rent 54% higher); Southaven (11 miles, rent 22% higher); Horn Lake (12 miles, rent 22% higher); Bartlett (12 miles, rent 39% higher). Rent differences are against Memphis; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Tennessee (392) →State guide: TennesseeCountry guideShelby CountyTennessee rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 392 federal postings open in Tennessee (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Tennessee →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 37,750 | 3.25 | $39,510 | $32,600 | $48,040 | -2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 19,460 | 2.40 | $63,070 | $44,200 | $96,150 | +8% |
| Retail Salespersons | 17,050 | 1.11 | $32,580 | $23,760 | $47,060 | -8% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 15,320 | 1.01 | $27,490 | $22,310 | $35,310 | -12% |
| Registered Nurses | 13,760 | 1.04 | $81,500 | $65,280 | $112,310 | -16% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 12,200 | 1.09 | $37,280 | $30,330 | $48,640 | -0% |
| Cashiers | 10,840 | 0.89 | $29,160 | $22,140 | $35,910 | -11% |
| General and Operations Managers | 9,730 | 0.71 | $102,510 | $50,180 | $231,770 | -3% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 9,360 | 0.92 | $44,090 | $31,570 | $60,470 | -2% |
| Office Clerks, General | 9,060 | 0.93 | $38,610 | $28,380 | $58,390 | -14% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 8,710 | 1.54 | $71,310 | $44,560 | $105,860 | +3% |
| Security Guards | 8,450 | 1.67 | $35,100 | $29,060 | $45,930 | -8% |
| Light Truck Drivers | 8,190 | 2.12 | $48,350 | $35,360 | $93,470 | +8% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 8,070 | 0.93 | $32,580 | $25,170 | $44,740 | -12% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 8,060 | 0.90 | $24,550 | $15,080 | $47,480 | -30% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 7,950 | 2.61 | $44,540 | $36,810 | $52,000 | -4% |
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | 7,370 | 2.29 | $45,800 | $35,880 | $61,270 | +1% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 7,280 | 0.43 | $30,900 | $27,800 | $37,720 | -14% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 7,180 | 1.90 | $39,940 | $34,050 | $58,110 | -13% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 6,320 | 1.17 | $48,400 | $35,550 | $66,920 | -4% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 950 | 0.71 | $388,960 | $173,990 | $520,830 | +46% |
| Chief Executives | 680 | 0.84 | $196,680 | $78,420 | $459,580 | -8% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 1,710 | 0.65 | $161,790 | $98,320 | $221,880 | -8% |
| Financial Managers | 2,750 | 0.83 | $143,880 | $80,110 | $273,740 | -14% |
| Human Resources Managers | 760 | 0.87 | $138,560 | $86,900 | $219,780 | -7% |
| Lawyers | 1,670 | 0.56 | $134,440 | $74,270 | $322,970 | -16% |
| Pharmacists | 1,460 | 1.15 | $134,220 | $103,470 | $165,860 | -5% |
| Marketing Managers | 1,180 | 0.76 | $132,540 | $76,550 | $230,420 | -21% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 1,430 | 1.38 | $130,580 | $73,920 | $274,320 | +14% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,630 | 1.88 | $128,860 | $46,720 | $211,190 | +20% |
| Sales Managers | 2,040 | 0.82 | $128,560 | $64,860 | $233,960 | -13% |
| Computer Network Architects | 630 | 0.89 | $126,400 | $79,800 | $168,850 | -6% |
| Software Developers | 2,270 | 0.34 | $125,580 | $77,520 | $168,000 | -8% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,800 | 1.42 | $124,600 | $83,770 | $154,040 | -6% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 910 | 0.93 | $118,120 | $53,380 | $205,340 | -6% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 2,310 | 0.98 | $112,800 | $72,800 | $196,130 | -9% |
| Construction Managers | 670 | 0.45 | $107,710 | $65,750 | $168,220 | -6% |
| Managers, All Other | 2,620 | 1.07 | $104,050 | $51,680 | $220,020 | -27% |
| General and Operations Managers | 9,730 | 0.71 | $102,510 | $50,180 | $231,770 | -3% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 1,700 | 0.83 | $100,640 | $63,550 | $151,430 | -5% |
These figures are for the whole Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,890 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.1% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.4% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 14.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 10.8% |
| Retail trade | 10.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.1% |
| Manufacturing | 8.4% |
| Construction | 5.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.0% |
| Other services | 5.0% |
| Public administration | 4.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.5% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Memphis lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | 919,173 | $88,404 million | $96,178 | 482,470 | 24,468 | $71,518 | -0.9% | 4.4% | 429,264 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 72,996 | 17.4% | $71,431 | 1.06 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 66,573 | 15.8% | $84,694 | 3.26 |
| Retail trade | 43,896 | 10.4% | $44,580 | 0.91 |
| Administrative and waste services | 38,724 | 9.2% | $45,503 | 1.36 |
| Accommodation and food services | 38,226 | 9.1% | $26,170 | 0.87 |
| Wholesale trade | 28,341 | 6.7% | $90,277 | 1.49 |
| Manufacturing | 28,130 | 6.7% | $92,447 | 0.71 |
| Professional and technical services | 22,130 | 5.3% | $84,328 | 0.66 |
| Construction | 18,094 | 4.3% | $84,788 | 0.71 |
| Finance and insurance | 13,323 | 3.2% | $138,953 | 0.68 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 12,971 | 3.1% | $55,484 | 0.89 |
| Educational services | 10,157 | 2.4% | $56,084 | 1.02 |
| Real estate and rental | 8,610 | 2.0% | $73,665 | 1.15 |
| Management of companies | 8,173 | 1.9% | $159,150 | 1.00 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 5,910 | 1.4% | $67,900 | 0.73 |
| Information | 4,067 | 1.0% | $85,727 | 0.45 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 189 | 0.0% | $42,095 | 0.05 |
| Utilities | 64 | 0.0% | $118,993 | 0.03 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 26 | 0.0% | $91,333 | 0.01 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 76.2% |
| Public transit | 0.8% |
| Walk | 1.7% |
| Work from home | 9.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 4.9% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,736 |
| Income per person | $33,100 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,181 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 27.4% |
| Median home value | $169,000 |
| Homeowners | 44.9% |
| Poverty rate | 23.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $46,890 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 34.2 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 28.0% |
| Born abroad | 7.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 63.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.8 | 39 | 100 |
| Feb | 5.8 | 42 | 123 |
| Mar | 11.0 | 52 | 134 |
| Apr | 16.3 | 61 | 136 |
| May | 21.1 | 70 | 138 |
| Jun | 25.8 | 78 | 96 |
| Jul | 27.8 | 82 | 105 |
| Aug | 27.8 | 82 | 87 |
| Sep | 24.1 | 75 | 81 |
| Oct | 17.2 | 63 | 113 |
| Nov | 10.4 | 51 | 107 |
| Dec | 5.7 | 42 | 138 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germantown | TN | 11 mi | 40,673 | $149,920 | $1,816 |
| Southaven | MS | 11 mi | 56,226 | $78,483 | $1,445 |
| Horn Lake | MS | 12 mi | 26,647 | $53,311 | $1,435 |
| Bartlett | TN | 12 mi | 56,876 | $102,070 | $1,638 |
| Olive Branch | MS | 13 mi | 47,019 | $100,606 | $1,829 |
| West Memphis | AR | 13 mi | 23,929 | $42,674 | $870 |
| Marion | AR | 15 mi | 13,623 | $78,330 | $1,148 |
| Collierville | TN | 16 mi | 51,515 | $138,598 | $1,691 |
| Millington | TN | 16 mi | 11,289 | $49,979 | $1,111 |
| Lakeland | TN | 17 mi | 14,192 | $116,250 | $1,755 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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Large employers headquartered in Memphis (from our list of the 200 largest US-based employers):
618,980 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,181 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 27.4% of the median household income.
$51,736 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.4% (BLS county, Shelby County (latest month 2026M09)).
Tennessee. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.