Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety10#834/924
Economy36#592/925
Housing57#399/925
Health6#871/925
Healthcare52#440/923
Environment53#427/917
Education39#566/925
Infrastructure36#592/925
Community39#562/925
Leisure & amenities43#526/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Jackson, TN metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Social associations · high16.4 /10k
94/100Tennessee 11.0 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Primary care physicians · high99 /100k
90/100Tennessee 69 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from countiesCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figure
Cost of buying a home today · low25.0%
87/100Tennessee 33.0%United States 34.1%Aug 2026Zillow Research
Grocery stores · high2.1 /10k
82/100Tennessee 1.4 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Days with unhealthy air · low0.0%
81/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Median Air Quality Index · low36
79/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Weaknesses

Frequent mental distress · high21.0%
6/100Tennessee 22.0%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Homicide rate · high11.2 /100k
7/100Tennessee 7.1 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Depression · high28.7%
9/100Tennessee 29.0%United States 20.7%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Adult smoking · high19.6%
10/100Tennessee 21.0%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Adult obesity · high42.3%
11/100Tennessee 39.8%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Restaurants and bars · low6.0 /10k
14/100Tennessee 7.7 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
0% (2021) → 53% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+53 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
46.4% (2010 & 2021) → 68.8% (2022 & 2024)
+22 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
75.6% (2015-2019) → 89.0% (2020-2024)
+13 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Drug overdose deathsImproving
32.5 /100k (2021) → 17.0 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−48%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Preventable hospital staysImproving
4,311 /100k (2019) → 2,318 /100k (2023)
−46%4 yearsUS 3,767 /100k → 2,769 /100k
Traffic deathsWorsening
16.0 /100k (2015-2019) → 22.7 /100k (2020-2024)
+41%5 yearsUS 11.3 /100k → 12.3 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Jackson, TN metro area improved on 15 of 31 measures with a comparison and declined on 6. 6 moved within the margin of error and 4 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved15

Broadband+13 points75.6% → 89.0%
High school++2.8 points86.9% → 89.7%
Violent crime−32%641 /100k → 437 /100k
Gyms+17%1.1 /10k → 1.3 /10k
Unemployment−3.7 points7.6% → 3.9%

Declined6

Suicides+41%14.1 /100k → 19.8 /100k
Traffic deaths+41%16.0 /100k → 22.7 /100k
Restaurants−8%6.5 /10k → 6.0 /10k
Commute+1.3 min21.6 min → 22.9 min
Pharmacies−17%2.2 /10k → 1.8 /10k

All 31 measures

Change of every measure of Jackson, TN metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.3 /10k2020	2.7 /10k2025	+14%	Improved	64%
Average commute time	21.6 min2015-2019	22.9 min2020-2024	+1.3 min	Declined	24%
Bachelor's degree or higher	21.7%2015-2019	23.7%2020-2024	+1.9 points	Improved	30%
Broadband subscriptions	75.6%2015-2019	89.0%2020-2024	+13 points	Improved	86%
Child poverty rate	26.7%2015-2019	23.1%2020-2024	−3.6 points	Improved	64%
Distance to an airport	80 mi2020	80 mi2025	+0 mi	Little change	14%
Drug overdose deaths	24.0 /100k2020	17.0 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−29%	Improved	56%
Effective property tax rate	0.77%2015-2019	0.59%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Little change	68%
Firearm deaths	20.7 /100k2020	20.3 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−1.9%	Little change	52%
Grocery stores	1.9 /10k2020	2.1 /10k2025	+6.2%	Improved	71%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.1 /10k2020	1.3 /10k2025	+17%	Improved	67%
High school diploma or higher	86.9%2015-2019	89.7%2020-2024	+2.8 points	Improved	77%
Home price to income ratio	2.5×2015-2019	3.0×2020-2024	+0.5×	Declined	42%
Homicide rate	12.5 /100k2020	11.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−10%	Improved	31%
Income adjusted for local prices	$49,4042019	$64,7272024	+31%	Improved	44%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4602015-2019	0.4572020-2024	−0.004	Within the margin of error	66%
Median household income	$46,8752015-2019	$61,1772020-2024	+31%	Improved	67%
New business applications	8.4 /1k2020	11.7 /1k2025	+40%	Improved	40%
Pharmacies	2.2 /10k2020	1.8 /10k2025	−17%	Declined	27%
Poverty rate	17.5%2015-2019	16.4%2020-2024	−1.1 points	Within the margin of error	52%
Property crime rate	2,214 /100k2020	1,449 /100k2025	−35%	Improved	52%
Public libraries	0.4 /10k2019	0.4 /10k2024	−2.8%	Little change	40%
Public transit commuters	0.3%2015-2019	0.4%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	88%
Rent as share of income	30.4%2015-2019	30.0%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Within the margin of error	65%
Rent-burdened households	50.9%2015-2019	49.9%2020-2024	−1 points	Within the margin of error	66%
Restaurants and bars	6.5 /10k2020	6.0 /10k2025	−8%	Declined	17%
Suicide rate	14.1 /100k2020	19.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+41%	Declined	10%
Traffic deaths	16.0 /100k2015-2019	22.7 /100k2020-2024	+41%	Declined	10%
Unemployment rate	7.6%2020	3.9%2025	−3.7 points	Improved	71%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	11.5%2015-2019	11.6%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	40%
Violent crime rate	641 /100k2020	437 /100k2025	−32%	Improved	78%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Jackson, TN metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Jackson, TN metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Jackson, TN metro area itself moved +0.3 points in standing on average over the same 30 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

181,719 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

72,451 households (±733)

Jackson, TN metro area
United States share

Under $25k21%15,033
$25k–50k21%15,091
$50k–75k19%13,522

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

72,451 households (±733)

Jackson, TN metro area
United States share

Own66%47,706
Rent34%24,745

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

80,044 workers (±1,386)

Jackson, TN metro area
United States share

Drive alone80%63,801
Carpool8.8%7,044
Public transit0.4%†301

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Jackson, TN employ 19,610 people. 10 pay a median below the US median.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Jackson, TN by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand2,410 jobs	2,410	$36,710US $40,240	−9%	1.5×
Retail Salespersons2,390 jobs	2,390

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Jackson, TN has 4,037 employer establishments, 221 for every 10,000 residents (0.89× the US rate of 248), with 73,284 paid employees at an average annual pay of $49,096. The Census Bureau also counts 14,687 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 4,037; 14,687 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 221; US 248
Paid employees: 73,284
Average annual pay: $49,096; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Jackson, TN by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	334	18.3	0.88×About typical	4,401	$69,577	701
Restaurants and other eating places	312	17.1	0.93×About typical	6,630	$19,871	71
Religious organizations	246	13.5	2.43×More than typical	1,443	$20,586	—
Specialty trade contractors	221	12.1	0.78×Fewer than typical	2,478	$71,584	1,065
Limited-service restaurants	151	8.3	1.03×About typical	3,612	$17,257	24
Lessors of real estate	131	7.2	0.58×Fewer than typical	401	$52,040	1,056
Gasoline stations	111	6.1	1.88×More than typical	695	$27,806	5
Services to buildings and dwellings	111	6.1	0.90×About typical	802	$31,344	1,373
Full-service restaurants	107	5.9	0.76×Fewer than typical	2,484	$24,085	23
Construction of buildings	103	5.6	0.75×Fewer than typical	1,075	$59,472	488
Building equipment contractors	100	5.5	0.91×About typical	1,643	$75,763	228
Offices of physicians	99	5.4	0.84×About typical	1,722	$96,194	189

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 182,442 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $59.4M on contracts performed in Jackson, TN metro area: $322 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $59.4M; +1.2% vs FY2025
Per resident: $322; US $1,994
Sole-source: 1.4%; US 30%
Single offer: 4.6%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

45.5MFY2017
30.7MFY2018
31.3MFY2019
29.1MFY2020
57.2MFY2021
81.6MFY2022
102.8MFY2023
78.8M

Top industries (NAICS)

Dairy product manufacturing · 3115$53.6M90%
Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing · 3391$3.3M5.5%
Other wood product manufacturing · 3219$840.9K1.4%
Facilities support services · 5612$831.3K1.4%
Colleges, universities, and professional schools · 6113$339.3K0.6%
Other general purpose machinery manufacturing · 3339$109.5K

Largest awards

FORT RUCKER LOGISTICS READINESS CENTER - LOGISTICS SUPPORT SERVICES$62.3M
VANQUISH WORLDWIDE L.L.C.· Madison County, TN· Professional services· Oct 31, 2016 – Jun 9, 2026· 0001
COMMODITIES FOR USG FOOD DONATIONS: 2000011407/4400002544/4100034554/CHEESE BLEND AMER SKM LVS-12/2 LB,CHEESE PROCESS YEL SLC LVS-6/5 LB,CHEESE BLEND AMER SKM YEL SLC LVS-6/5 LB,CHEESE PROCESS WHT SLC LVS-6/5 LB,CHEESE BLEND AMER SKM WHT SLC LVS-6/5$7.2M
BONGARDS CREAMERIES· Gibson County, TN· Other equipment & supplies· Jul 2, 2026 – Aug 27, 2026· 123J1426F1494
COMMODITIES FOR USG FOOD DONATIONS: 2000011370/4400002544/4100034373/CHEESE BLEND AMER SKM LVS-12/2 LB,CHEESE PROCESS YEL SLC LVS-6/5 LB,CHEESE BLEND AMER SKM YEL SLC LVS-6/5 LB,CHEESE PROCESS WHT SLC LVS-6/5 LB,CHEESE BLEND AMER SKM WHT SLC LVS-6/5$7M
BONGARDS CREAMERIES· Gibson County, TN· Other equipment & supplies· Jun 4, 2026 – Jun 26, 2026

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $1.2B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Jackson, TN metro area: $6,767 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $1.2B; −2.2% vs FY2025
Per resident: $6,767; US $12,955
Loan face value: $66.2M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 3.5%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$711M57%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$125.8M10%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$118.1M9.5%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$71.4M5.7%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$46.8M3.7%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$22.2M1.8%
10.990 · Farmer Bridge Assistance Program$17.7M1.4%
64.015 · Veterans State Nursing Home Care$14.3M1.1%

Top recipients (organizations)

TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$21.6M1.7%
NASHVILLE, TN
JACKSON HOUSING AUTHORITY$17.4M1.4%
JACKSON, TN
TN STATE VETERANS HOME$14.3M1.1%
HUMBOLDT, TN
JACKSON STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE$11.2M0.9%
JACKSON, TN
KEY LIME AIR CORPORATION$8.6M

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$955.1M76%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$135.3M11%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Farm Service Agency$34M2.7%
Department of Agriculture
Department of Education$28.8M2.3%
Federal Highway Administration$21.6M1.7%

Assistance by fiscal year

1.1BFY2021
1.1BFY2022
1.1BFY2023
1.2BFY2024
1.3BFY2025
1.2BFY2026

County aggregates

88%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Jackson, TN

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

JacksonPrincipal city68,435

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Tennessee

Areas based in Tennessee, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M27180

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved15

Declined6

Metro and micro areas like Jackson, TN metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Jackson, TN

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Tennessee

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved15

Declined6

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought