Should You Move to Tennessee for a Job in 2025?

For most job seekers, moving to Tennessee for a job still makes sense, as long as you choose the right metro. Tennessee’s unemployment rate was 3.4% in September 2026, well below the U.S. rate of 4.2%, and the state added 28,400 nonfarm jobs over the past year. There is no state income tax on wages, and prices in Tennessee run about 8% below the national average. The trade-offs: the median wage is lower than the national figure, and the Memphis metro has fewer jobs than a year ago while Nashville keeps growing. This guide was updated in October 2026 with the latest state labor data. If you decide to go, Spyder Moving and Storage moves families and professionals across Tennessee and from neighboring states.

How strong is the Tennessee job market right now?

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported a 3.4% unemployment rate for September 2026, the third month in a row at that level. Over the year, leisure and hospitality added the most jobs, followed by healthcare and social assistance and then state government. Growth is not even across the state, though. The table below uses the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) metro data, which is preliminary and not seasonally adjusted.

Nashville has the most jobs and the fastest growth. Memphis is a large but slower market where it pays to have an offer before you move. If you’re moving from Mississippi to Tennessee, Memphis and its suburbs are the closest of the four metros and often the easiest to reach for interviews.

Which industries have the most jobs in Tennessee?

Statewide, Tennessee had about 3.38 million nonfarm jobs in August 2026. These are the sectors where most of them are, with BLS seasonally adjusted counts.

Trade, transportation and logistics

This is the state’s largest sector, with about 684,600 jobs. Memphis is the center of it. FedEx is headquartered there and runs its main air hub at Memphis International Airport, and the city sits where I-40 and I-55 meet the Mississippi River and several freight rail lines. Warehouse, trucking and supply chain jobs are spread from Memphis to Nashville and Knoxville along I-40. If an offer brings you to the Memphis area, Spyder’s Memphis movers work out of a local office on New Getwell Road.

Healthcare and education

Education and health services account for about 516,700 jobs, and healthcare was one of the fastest-growing sectors over the past year. Nashville is a national healthcare business center. HCA Healthcare is headquartered there, and Community Health Systems is based in nearby Franklin. Large hospital systems in Memphis, Knoxville and Chattanooga hire nurses, technicians and administrators year-round.

Manufacturing and automotive

Manufacturing employs about 354,400 Tennesseans. Nissan builds vehicles at its plant in Smyrna, and Volkswagen assembles cars in Chattanooga. Parts suppliers cluster around both plants, and appliance, chemical and food plants operate across the state. Many production jobs train new hires on the job and don’t require a four-year degree.

Tech, research and energy

Chattanooga built a citywide fiber network through its public utility, EPB, which helped bring startups and remote workers to the city. East Tennessee is also home to Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Tennessee Valley Authority’s headquarters in Knoxville, both major employers for engineers and scientists. If you’d rather build your own company than take a job, start with the best places for startups in Tennessee. If a tech or energy job is pulling you east, this guide to moving from Memphis to Chattanooga covers costs, neighborhoods and the long drive.

Leisure, hospitality and music

Leisure and hospitality has about 373,900 jobs and led the state’s job gains over the past year. Nashville’s music and convention business, Memphis tourism around Beale Street and Graceland, and the Great Smoky Mountains gateway towns all hire for hotels, restaurants and events. Wages in this sector are lower than average, so it works best as a second income or a first step after the move.

Which Tennessee cities have the best job opportunities?

The four large metros account for most job openings, but each one suits a different kind of career.

• Nashville: healthcare management, finance, tech, music and construction. It has the strongest job growth and the highest housing costs in the state.
• Memphis: logistics, healthcare and manufacturing. Housing costs are lower, but job growth has been flat or negative over the past year.
• Knoxville: university, research and energy jobs, with steady growth.
• Chattanooga: auto manufacturing, insurance and tech, with an unemployment rate near the state average.

Many Memphis-area workers live in the suburbs and commute. Collierville is popular with families who want quieter streets and their own municipal school district. You can work with moving companies in Collierville TN to settle there and still reach jobs across Shelby County. If your work lets you live outside the metros, these small towns in Tennessee are worth comparing too. For a city-by-city breakdown, see the best TN cities for job seekers.

What jobs in Tennessee pay well?

The median annual wage for all jobs in Tennessee was $47,380 in May 2025, compared with $50,980 nationally, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey. Pay depends heavily on the field. Here are Tennessee medians for some common relocation jobs from the same survey:

• Software developers: $122,430
• General and operations managers: $106,970
• Registered nurses: $81,500
• Accountants and auditors: $76,840
• Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers: $58,620
• Warehouse laborers and material movers: $38,160

Healthcare, engineering, tech and skilled trades pay the most. Hospitality and warehouse jobs pay less but are easier to land quickly. Compare any offer against the local cost of housing, because a Nashville salary and a Memphis salary stretch very differently.

Is it cheap to live in Tennessee if you move for work?

Cheaper than most states, yes. The federal Bureau of Economic Analysis puts overall prices in Tennessee at about 92% of the national average for 2024, and rents are lower still. Prices vary inside the state: the Nashville metro is close to the national average, while Memphis is about 8% below it. Housing explains most of that gap, because demand in the Nashville area has pushed home prices and rents up faster than in Memphis. Compare rents in the exact neighborhoods near your new job before you sign anything.

Taxes work differently from many states:

• No personal income tax. Tennessee does not tax wages, and the Hall tax on investment income was fully repealed starting in 2021.
• High sales tax. The state rate is 7%, and local governments add up to 2.75%, so the combined rate can reach 9.75%.
• Groceries are taxed. Food has a lower 4% state rate, plus the local rate.

For most workers, the missing income tax outweighs the higher sales tax. The bigger your salary, the more you save.

How do you plan a move to Tennessee for a job?

A job-driven move works best when the offer, the housing and the moving date are lined up in that order.

Get the offer and relocation terms in writing

Move once you have a confirmed offer and a start date. Ask whether the employer pays relocation costs, offers a lump sum or covers temporary housing, and get it in writing. Then schedule the move so you arrive a few days before your first day. Tennessee’s state job board, Jobs4TN.gov, and local American Job Centers offer free help with applications and résumés if you are still searching.

Use temporary housing and storage while you find a home

If you need time to learn the neighborhoods, an extended-stay hotel, corporate apartment or short-term rental gives you room to compare commutes before signing a lease. Your furniture can wait in storage. Spyder’s storage services let you load once at your old home and deliver when your new address is ready. That way you don’t pay for two full moves.

Build a moving budget

List the deposit and first month’s rent, utility hookups, mover costs, a few weeks of temporary housing, and your trip to Tennessee. Sell or donate furniture you won’t need. Get written estimates from licensed movers and set aside a cushion for surprises. For moves across state lines, Spyder’s long-distance moving service covers packing, transport and delivery with the company’s own crews.

Plan for a car-dependent commute

Most Tennessee jobs require a car. Nashville and Memphis have bus systems, but service is limited, and suburbs are built around driving. In Cordova and other east Memphis suburbs, you’ll drive to work, school and stores. Crews from local moving companies in Cordova TN often suggest checking rush-hour drive times before you choose a home. Once you’re settled, remember that Tennessee requires new residents to get a Tennessee driver license within 30 days.

Remote workers have more options

If you keep a remote job, you can choose a town based on lifestyle instead of commute. Germantown offers quiet streets and parks inside the Memphis metro. Hiring a moving company in Germantown TN can make settling in easier. Chattanooga’s fiber internet also makes it a strong pick for remote workers. See our list of the best Tennessee towns for remote professionals for more choices.

What is life like outside work in Tennessee?

Quality of life is part of the paycheck math. Nashville is the home of country music. Memphis has blues, barbecue and plenty of things to do in your free time. In East Tennessee, the Great Smoky Mountains offer hiking and camping close to Knoxville and Chattanooga. If you’re moving from Memphis to Nashville, for example, expect a faster pace and higher rents in exchange for more job openings. Families should look at school districts early. Collierville and Germantown run their own districts, and community colleges and universities across the state offer evening programs for adults changing careers.

Parks, lakes and community events in towns like Germantown and Collierville make it easy to meet people in your first months. Long-distance movers from Memphis sometimes suggest spending a weekend in a few areas before you choose one, so you can see what suits your lifestyle.

Is moving to Tennessee for work the right choice for you?

If your field is healthcare, logistics, manufacturing or tech, Tennessee offers steady demand, no income tax on wages and lower living costs than most states. Before you commit, check the wage for your job against local rents, and look at the latest metro numbers in the state’s monthly employment report. Once you accept a job offer in Tennessee, Spyder Moving and Storage can handle packing, storage and the drive from its Memphis office. Get a free moving estimate and plan your move around your start date.