How many jobs were lost in Tennessee last month?
Updated Apr. 14, 2026Refreshed annually
Tennessee gained 7,200 jobs in January 2026, ranking it 12th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 5,300 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+7.2K
month to month change in number of jobs (January 2026)
12th
rank among states in monthly job growth (January 2026)
January 2026's gain of 7,200 jobs was the 3rd consecutive month of positive job growth in Tennessee. Monthly job growth was up from the 4,200 new jobs in December 2025.
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), Tennessee gained jobs in 46 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the 22nd-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in July 2021 (+27,900) while job growth was weakest in June 2025 (-14,200).
There were 7,200 more jobs in January 2026 in Tennessee than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, February 2021–January 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Tennessee sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in January 2026?
During the latest five year period (February 2021 to January 2026), Tennessee gained jobs in 46 out of 60 months. January 2026 had the 22nd-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in July 2021 (+27,900) while job growth was weakest in June 2025 (-14,200).
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in January 2026 were health care and social assistance, administrative and support and waste management and remediation services, and transportation, warehousing, and utilities. Health care and social assistance added 2,600 jobs, more than the entire economy. Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services gained 1,300 jobs, while transportation, warehousing, and utilities added 1,000. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The health care and social assistance sector gained 2,600 jobs during January 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Tennessee (January 2026)
How does Tennessee's job growth in 2025 compare to previous years?
In 2025, the state has gained an average of 1,900 jobs every month. That's higher than the previous year average monthly increase of 1,900, and the highest since 2023. The 2025 average ranks as 14th-highest in job growth since 2023.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 10,300 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 12,400 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, Tennessee gained an average of 1,900 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among 10 metro areas at least partially in Tennessee during January 2026 ranged from a loss of 100 jobs in the Morristown, TN area to a gain of 3,600 jobs in the Nashville, TN area metro area.
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
