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 337,000 people.
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With over 22,000 people living and working here and nearly 11,000 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 over 100 manufacturers in the community, we have a strong manufacturing workforce representing nearly 22% of the total workforce in Hamblen County.
Employment By Industry – Hamblen County
| Industry | # Jobs | % of Total |
| Manufacturing | 7,947 | 21.5% |
| Retail Trade | 4,418 | 11.9% |
| Health Care, Social & Educational Services | 4,312 | 11.7% |
| Government, State & Local | 3,885 | 10.5% |
| Administrative & Support Services | 2,699 | 7.3% |
| Finance, Insurance & Real Estate | 2,089 | 5.6% |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,632 | 4.4% |
| Construction | 1,737 | 4.7% |
| Accommodation & Food Services | 1,846 | 5.0% |
| Other Services, except Public Admin. | 1,823 | 4.9% |
| Professional, Scientific & Technical Services | 835 | 2.3% |
| All Other | 3,770 | 10.2% |
Source: ESMI Complete Employment – 2011
Having an available workforce with well-trained employees is vital to attracting industry & business to Morristown and Hamblen County. Programs through Tennessee Technology Center 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 $714.00
· Unemployment Rate was 9.7% in Hamblen County (April 2013)
· Unemployment Rate ranged from 7.6 to 11.8% in the seven surrounding counties (April 2013)
For information regarding 2012 occupational wages for the Morristown MSA, please click here