The Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes the counties of Knox, Blount, Anderson, Loudon, Roane, Campbell, Grainger, Morgan, and Union, is made up of a diverse and growing food service industry. As of 2024, the MSA’s population was approximately 908,007, with a labor force participation rate of 60.2%, and an unemployment rate of less than 3.5%, which is half a percentage point lower than the national average.
In terms of employers by sector, the largest in the Knoxville MSA is Health Care and Social Assistance, employing around 59,800 workers. The next-largest sectors are Retail Trade (51,881 workers) and Manufacturing (47,649 workers). Notably, the Accommodation and Food Services sector has shown significant growth, adding approximately 3,655 jobs over the past five years. Looking ahead, it’s projected to add 416 jobs in the coming year, indicating a growth rate of 1.6%. As of 2023, there
The average income for Knoxville is $30,514, and the average household income is just over $60,000 as of 2023. Regarding sales, total accommodation and food services sales in Knoxville reached approximately $1.48 billion in 2022.
The chart below shows the number of people employed by position as of 2023, in Knoxville only. Knoxville has a total population of 198,000+, meaning that roughly 20% of the population is employed in a food service-related position.
If you would like to have an in-depth market analysis of your local geographic area and learn how to utilize that data to assign menu prices and attract talented team members, contact us at Food Service Solutions LLC.
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