Knox County, TN jobs, unemployment and layoffs
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Show me jobs near meKnox County economy
2.8%
unemployment, Sep 2026
3.0% the month before
262,224
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
487,401
people in Knox County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$71,662
median household income
Source: Census ACS
44%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
Where Knox County ranks
Where Knox County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #10Best county job markets for job seekers in the Southeast75 / 100 · of 77
- #15Best county job markets for job seekers80 / 100 · of 100
- #18Best counties for laid-off professionals in the Southeast63 / 100 · of 77
- #21Counties with the lowest unemployment in the Southeast2.8% · of 100
- #25Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Southeast6 per 100 · of 79
Knox County outlook: Building
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs up 4.4% from 2022 to 2025
- Population up 6.4% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 2.8%, down 0.2 points from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: health care (+4,305 jobs), transportation & warehousing (+1,550 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: manufacturing (−1,712 jobs), information (−983 jobs)
Local job-market news
Recent headlines about layoffs, AI and jobs in Knox County. Each link goes to the publisher.
- Street Paving and Road Milling Projects Underway in Oak RidgeKnoxville Daily Sun · Oct 14, 2026
Learn and get funded in Knox County
- Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
- Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
- Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
- Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.
Knox County layoffs
4
Layoff notices, last 12 months
452
workers named
A floor: states may leave out counts
4
employers
| Notice date | Employer | City or county | Workers | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepsi Bottling GroupTakes effect Jan 1, 2027 | Knox County | 112 | — | State record | |
| McKay Books, Inc.Takes effect May 3, 2026 | Knox County | 54 | — | State record | |
| Premiere Building Maintenance CorporationTakes effect Mar 31, 2026 | Knox County | 154 | — | State record | |
| Edgewell Personal CareTakes effect Jun 1, 2026 | Knox County | 132 | — | State record |
Employers hiring most in Knox County
Employers with the most open professional roles in this county’s cities. The county is taken from each job’s city, so roles with no city are not counted.
- University of Tennessee System62 open roles
- The University of Tennessee Health Science Center59 open roles
- Covenant Health (Tennessee)21 open roles
- Pilot Company19 open roles
- The University of Tennessee Health Science Center11 open roles
- Community Health Systems10 open roles
- Leconte Medical Center7 open roles
- Covenant Health (Tennessee)6 open roles
- Sargent & Lundy6 open roles
- Bechtel4 open roles
Colleges in Knox County
| College | City | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville | Knoxville | Public 4-year | 20,000+ |
| Johnson University | Knoxville | Private non-profit 4-year | Under 1,000 |
Conferences in Knox County
Industry conferences and trade shows held in Knox County. 1 with dates announced.
- MARCON Maintenance and Reliability Conference
Mar 1 to Mar 4, 2027 · Knoxville, TN
Paid ticket. Presentations March 3-4. Attendee fees not found; exhibitor packages $2,500-3,000 (not attendee).
Open call for speakers · deadline Aug 28, 2026
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Knox County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.
Laid off in Tennessee? How to file for unemployment in Tennessee (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).
- East Tennessee Workforce Development Board
Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier, Union
American Job Center of Tennessee - Knoxville
Knoxville · Comprehensive · 865-594-5500
Job Service, Mon - Fri 8am - 4:30pm: Resource Center, Mon-Fri 8am - 4:30pm
Cities in Knox County
Other Tennessee counties
Laid off or looking for work in Knox County?
See what to do first and the jobs open near you.
See your options after a layoffSources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); layoff notices from Tennessee’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. Tennessee unemployment benefits and severance rules.
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