Firm counts, employment, and wages for 40 small-business-typical industries reported in Tennessee by the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Click any industry for a national comparison.
Sorted by establishment count. Location quotient (LQ) compares Tennessee's industry concentration to the national average — LQ > 1 means denser than national; LQ < 1 means thinner.
| Industry | Firms | Employment | Avg Pay | LQ | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick-service restaurants | 5,944 | 115,408 | $21,954 | 1.18 | +2.8% |
| Full-service restaurants | 5,393 | 123,997 | $28,859 | 1.08 | +2.7% |
| Gas stations with convenience stores | 3,562 | 23,318 | $31,876 | 1.87 | +1.7% |
| Offices of lawyers | 3,152 | 14,108 | $108,829 | 0.89 | +4.2% |
| Plumbing, heating & AC contractors | 2,372 | 28,252 | $75,498 | 1.03 | +4.8% |
| Dental practices | 2,356 | 19,905 | $65,680 | 0.92 | +0.6% |
| Landscaping services | 2,237 | 16,978 | $49,181 | 0.96 | +3.4% |
| Engineering services | 2,033 | 18,952 | $118,320 | 1.08 | +9.8% |
| Electrical contractors | 1,966 | 23,196 | $77,985 | 1.05 | +5.9% |
| Portfolio management & investment advice | 1,748 | 6,323 | $193,217 | 1.05 | +7.0% |
| Other general-merchandise retailers | 1,734 | 0 | $0 | 1.44 | +3.2% |
| General auto repair | 1,522 | 7,348 | $57,445 | 0.94 | +0.5% |
| Janitorial services | 1,470 | 21,167 | $30,752 | 0.94 | +4.3% |
| Other accounting services | 1,462 | 10,251 | $90,248 | 1.09 | +6.0% |
| CPA offices | 1,192 | 9,012 | $105,560 | 1.00 | +4.4% |
| Child day care | 1,164 | 15,947 | $28,963 | 0.78 | -0.6% |
| Supermarkets & grocery | 1,038 | 50,471 | $29,379 | 0.94 | +0.6% |
| Beauty salons | 1,012 | 6,568 | $39,361 | 0.69 | +1.0% |
| Physical therapists | 933 | 8,444 | $51,523 | 0.96 | +16.5% |
| Fitness & recreational sports centers | 916 | 9,503 | $20,113 | 1.08 | +5.3% |
| Veterinary services | 795 | 10,941 | $50,405 | 1.18 | +1.5% |
| Chiropractors | 662 | 2,620 | $43,889 | 0.89 | +2.2% |
| Auto body & paint | 654 | 4,968 | $68,705 | 0.98 | +0.2% |
| Other health practitioners | 646 | 4,605 | $63,748 | 0.88 | +15.2% |
| Pet care (except veterinary) | 581 | 3,929 | $30,203 | 1.14 | +11.1% |
| Roofing contractors | 573 | 4,736 | $81,918 | 0.96 | +10.0% |
| Convenience retailers | 480 | 1,316 | $25,671 | 0.73 | +2.6% |
| Optometrists | 466 | 3,427 | $53,610 | 1.15 | +1.7% |
| Drinking places (bars) | 418 | 5,211 | $36,473 | 0.52 | +5.0% |
| Motor-vehicle parts wholesale | 384 | 6,411 | $74,338 | 1.38 | -0.5% |
| All other miscellaneous retailers | 346 | 2,012 | $51,259 | 0.55 | +4.5% |
| Florists | 258 | 1,121 | $26,770 | 1.12 | -2.3% |
| Drycleaning & laundry | 238 | 1,785 | $31,928 | 0.85 | -5.9% |
| Religious organizations | 214 | 1,682 | $45,624 | 0.44 | +12.6% |
| Book retailers & news dealers | 171 | 1,369 | $30,337 | 1.16 | -2.3% |
| Auto glass replacement | 140 | 934 | $61,137 | 1.04 | +21.7% |
| Other similar organizations | 132 | 803 | $36,432 | 0.46 | +1.5% |
| Barber shops | 112 | 777 | $42,074 | 0.72 | +7.7% |
| Parking lots & garages | 80 | 2,689 | $34,275 | 0.54 | +3.9% |
| All other auto repair & maintenance | 70 | 393 | $77,435 | 0.49 | +12.9% |