{"schema_version": 1, "id": "chattanooga-tn-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-09", "product": "Metro Job Market Pulse", "metro": {"geography_id": 124, "label": "Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA", "slug": "chattanooga-tn-ga-msa"}, "focus_area": {"key": "general_conditions", "slug": "metro-job-market", "label": "General Market Conditions"}, "period": "2026-09", "public_after": "2026-09-01", "frozen_at": "2026-10-09T13:38:21.252410+00:00", "headline": "Chattanooga holds steady as manufacturing drags, services carry growth.", "headline_summary": "Hamilton County unemployment sat at 3.8% in June with statewide wages up 4.4% year-over-year, even as manufacturing layoff filings and a lagging position behind Nashville's Oracle-fueled expansion temper the metro's momentum.", "key_indicators": [{"label": "Hamilton County unemployment", "value": "3.8%", "context": "June 2026, vs 4.1% national rate"}, {"label": "Tennessee weekly wage growth", "value": "4.4%", "context": "YoY through Q1 2026, state ranked 12th nationally"}, {"label": "Manufacturing WARN exposure", "value": "3,466 workers", "context": "Leading sector in TN's 24-month WARN total"}, {"label": "Nashville vs. Chattanooga job adds", "value": "28,000+", "context": "Nashville 12-mo gain vs. Chattanooga's slower pace"}], "takeaways": [{"headline": "Manufacturing softness is the metro's clearest drag on momentum.", "body": "Statewide manufacturing contracted slightly while Tennessee WARN filings show manufacturing as the leading cause of layoff notices over the past 24 months (22 filings, 3,466 workers). Chattanooga's long-standing manufacturing base makes this a structural watch point, not a one-month blip."}, {"headline": "Chattanooga wage gains diverge sharply by occupation type.", "body": "Financial analyst and accountant pay rose significantly locally even as software engineer pay fell significantly \u2014 a pattern distinct from the national trend of flat tech pay. This suggests Chattanooga's growth is concentrated in traditional professional services rather than tech-sector expansion, relevant for economic development messaging."}, {"headline": "Local wage-vs-inflation picture looks more favorable than the nation's.", "body": "National average hourly earnings growth has slowed to 3.0% against 3.4% inflation, eroding real purchasing power broadly. Tennessee's weekly wages rose a stronger 4.4% year-over-year through Q1 2026, suggesting the state \u2014 and likely Chattanooga \u2014 may be better insulated from the national real-wage squeeze, though local wage data lags and warrants caution."}, {"headline": "Nashville's pull is reshaping the state's growth map.", "body": "Nashville added over 28,000 jobs in twelve months on the back of Oracle's $1.2 billion investment, while smaller metros including Chattanooga lagged. Commerce leaders should treat statewide headline growth figures skeptically when assessing Chattanooga-specific conditions."}], "local_conditions": "Chattanooga's labor market remains comparatively tight \u2014 Hamilton County unemployment ran 3.8% in June and the broader metro held near 3.4% as of late 2025 \u2014 but momentum has split along sector lines, with manufacturing contraction offsetting continued strength in healthcare and logistics-adjacent hiring. Statewide job growth has cooled to roughly 0.9% projected for 2026, well below Tennessee's historical pace, and Chattanooga's gains lag Nashville's tech- and investment-driven expansion, suggesting the metro's momentum is steady but no longer accelerating.", "implications": "Soft manufacturing employment alongside firm healthcare demand points to an economy where overall labor supply is adequate but unevenly distributed across sectors \u2014 a relevant signal for economic development corps weighing incentive packages or site-selection pitches tied to specific industries. Commerce leaders evaluating expansion timing should weigh that Chattanooga's wage growth in several white-collar categories (financial analyst, accountant) is outpacing stable-to-declining categories like software engineering and retail, consistent with a local economy still anchored in traditional services and logistics rather than tech. Current conditions suggest monitoring sector-specific momentum before assuming metro-wide tightness applies uniformly across the business base.", "looking_ahead": [{"category": "Emerging pressure point", "body": "Manufacturing remains the state's most layoff-exposed sector, and Chattanooga's industrial base is more manufacturing-dependent than Nashville's. Watch whether WARN filings or plant-level announcements emerge locally over the next two months."}, {"category": "Potential inflection point", "body": "UT Chattanooga's Center for Regional Economic Research projected 3,200 new metro jobs for 2026, concentrated in the second half of the year. Whether that materializes will be a key test of whether the metro's growth is merely stabilizing or re-accelerating."}, {"category": "Worth watching", "body": "National government payrolls have shed workers for twelve straight months (down 216,000), while Tennessee's August gains were led partly by local government and education. Local public-sector stability may be diverging from the national trend, worth confirming as more data arrives."}, {"category": "Early indicator", "body": "Tariff and immigration-enforcement policy continue to surface as supply-chain and labor-availability variables in Boyd Center commentary, without yet showing a clear Chattanooga-specific effect. Track whether logistics- or manufacturing-heavy employers cite either factor directly in coming announcements."}], "roles": [{"role": "Retail Sales Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 22829.0, "metro_p50": 27040.0, "metro_p75": 30734.25, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 33325.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Retail Cashier", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 21559.0, "metro_p50": 25067.0, "metro_p75": 27002.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 31200.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Warehouse/Fulfillment Associate", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 30057.0, "metro_p50": 33861.0, "metro_p75": 36389.0, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 38000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "CDL Truck Driver", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 52635.0, "metro_p50": 78000.0, "metro_p75": 89037.5, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 78000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Delivery Driver", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 28281.0, "metro_p50": 32401.0, "metro_p75": 37357.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 34344.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Construction Laborer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 30899.5, "metro_p50": 37648.0, "metro_p75": 43597.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 40560.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Electrician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 56734.75, "metro_p50": 65466.2, "metro_p75": 69615.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 71404.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Manufacturing Production Worker/Assembler", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 31523.75, "metro_p50": 37591.2, "metro_p75": 38480.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 39520.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Customer Service Representative", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 31394.0, "metro_p50": 36422.8, "metro_p75": 39740.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 39520.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Food Service Worker", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 25130.0, "metro_p50": 31200.0, "metro_p75": 32404.5, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 33756.2, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Certified Nursing Assistant / Home Health Aide", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 31200.0, "metro_p50": 34077.0, "metro_p75": 34951.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 41106.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Administrative Assistant/Office Clerk", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 31574.0, "metro_p50": 37766.0, "metro_p75": 44720.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 43680.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "HVAC Technician", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 55000.0, "metro_p50": 60442.0, "metro_p75": 64480.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 70720.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Registered Nurse", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 75956.75, "metro_p50": 89446.0, "metro_p75": 98211.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 102581.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Software Engineer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 78584.0, "metro_p50": 102714.4, "metro_p75": 127494.5, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 153652.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Data Engineer", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 85306.0, "metro_p50": 117753.0, "metro_p75": 123874.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 139500.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Accountant", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 56985.0, "metro_p50": 71731.0, "metro_p75": 72297.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 72182.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Financial Analyst", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 66409.5, "metro_p50": 83832.0, "metro_p75": 90100.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 94782.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "HR Generalist/Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 49920.0, "metro_p50": 65312.0, "metro_p75": 75229.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "significant", "national_p50": 75000.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Marketing Specialist", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 40463.0, "metro_p50": 51337.0, "metro_p75": 53964.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 62354.4, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"role": "Operations Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 63747.25, "metro_p50": 72500.0, "metro_p75": 73851.5, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 85216.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Elementary/Secondary School Teacher", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 33280.0, "metro_p50": 50000.0, "metro_p75": 55492.5, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 56731.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Account Manager", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 51086.5, "metro_p50": 70000.0, "metro_p75": 88207.25, "metro_trend_direction": "down", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 92749.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"role": "Warehouse Manager", "data_scope": "state_rollup", "metro_p25": 50835.0, "metro_p50": 66854.0, "metro_p75": 73610.0, "metro_trend_direction": "stable", "metro_trend_magnitude": "stable", "national_p50": 75000.0, "national_trend_direction": "stable", "national_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"role": "Business Analyst", "data_scope": "metro", "metro_p25": 76024.75, "metro_p50": 93732.0, "metro_p75": 104000.0, "metro_trend_direction": "up", "metro_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "national_p50": 98279.0, "national_trend_direction": "up", "national_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}], "industry_snapshot": [{"sector": "Construction", "median_pay": 45383.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Manufacturing", "median_pay": 60049.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "stable", "postings_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"sector": "Retail Trade", "median_pay": 35434.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"sector": "Transportation, Warehousing & Utilities", "median_pay": 62153.5, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}, {"sector": "Information", "median_pay": 68157.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "stable", "postings_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"sector": "Financial Activities", "median_pay": 75567.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"sector": "Professional & Business Services", "median_pay": 55000.0, "pay_trend_direction": "down", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"sector": "Education & Health Services", "median_pay": 64400.5, "pay_trend_direction": "stable", "pay_trend_magnitude": "stable", "postings_trend_direction": "up", "postings_trend_magnitude": "moderate"}, {"sector": "Leisure & Hospitality", "median_pay": 29745.0, "pay_trend_direction": "down", "pay_trend_magnitude": "moderate", "postings_trend_direction": "stable", "postings_trend_magnitude": "stable"}, {"sector": "Government", "median_pay": 66620.0, "pay_trend_direction": "up", "pay_trend_magnitude": "significant", "postings_trend_direction": "down", "postings_trend_magnitude": "significant"}], "citations": [], "methodology": "Advertised pay from active employer job postings, not survey data. WageScape's median is calibrated to correct for spurious low-value postings: distribution analysis shows roughly the lowest 10% of raw values are erroneous entries, so the reported median is the 60th percentile of raw advertised pay.", "edition_label": "October 2026", "files": {"html": "chattanooga-tn-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-09.html", "pdf": "chattanooga-tn-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-09.pdf", "sources_html": "chattanooga-tn-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-09.sources.html"}, "published_at": "2026-10-09T13:49:21.631428+00:00", "report_html_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/chattanooga-tn-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-09.html", "report_pdf_url": "https://reports.wagescape.com/archive/v1/editions/chattanooga-tn-ga-msa/metro-job-market/2026-09.pdf"}