Workforce Basics
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More than 17,000 people worked in downtown Knoxville, representing an 8% share of all people reporting to work in Knox County.
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Downtown held the highest concentration of workers in the county. Employment density was 26,460 workers per square mile, almost twice the next highest grouping, which was found in Fort Sanders (14,370 workers/sq. mi.) just west of the CBD. Third was the UT campus (10,840 workers/sq. mi).
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Workforce densities in other Knoxville districts: Bearden/West Town corridor - 3,615 workers/sq. mi. Baptist Hospital & surrounding area - 3,415 workers/sq. mi. St. Mary’s Hospital & surrounding area - 3,110 workers/sq. mi. Cedar Bluff -1,675 workers/sq. mi.
Industries
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The top-three industries downtown included public administration, with a 21% share of all workers, professional/scientific/ management/administrative services (20%), and finance/ insurance/real estate (11%).
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Retail functions fell sharply over the past 20 years, from a 14 % claim on CBD employment in 1980, to 13% in 1990, and 2% in 2000. In the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s, major department stores, such as Watson’s and Miller’s, and several independent retailers closed their downtown operations.
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Half of downtown’s workforce was employed in the private, for-profit sector. Another 37% worked for local, state, and federal government agencies in the central offices of Knox County, City of Knoxville,
Knox County Schools, Tennessee Valley Authority, and several other organizations.
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Government employment fluctuated over the past 20 years, from a high of 7,900 workers in 1980, down to 5,475 in 1990, then up to 6,300 by 2000. Reorganization of TVA’s workforce accounted for much of the variation.
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Occupations
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Among 24 occupation categories, office/administrative support jobs held the largest portion of workers at 25% of all downtown employees. Countywide, the same category captured a 16% share.
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Management occupations comprised the next largest segment of CBD employment, followed by business/financial specialists and legal-related occupations.
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Earnings and Income
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About one-quarter of the downtown workforce earned between $20,000 and $30,000 in 1999. The median was $28,250, which was 21% higher than the countywide standard of $23,290.
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Larger shares of CBD workers had earnings in high income brackets when compared to the rest of Knox County. Nearly 11% of people employed downtown earned more than $75,000 annually, while less than 6% of the countywide workforce reached that level.
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Half of the CBD’s workers resided in households with more than $60,000 total annual income. Nearly 20% reported incomes greater than $100,000.
Commuters
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Though well-served by public transit, only 1% of downtown workers commuted by bus or trolley. Most opted instead to drive alone each day. 87% chose this option, outpacing the countywide rate of 84%.
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About 10 % of people who worked in the CBD carpooled, consistent with the Knox County level. The appeal of carpooling declined sharply since the 1980s, when 27% of downtown workers shared their daily commute with others.
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Downtown employees spent 25 minutes each morning commuting to work, the same as people working elsewhere in the county. Those choosing to drive alone to downtown spent 24 minutes in their cars, while those riding buses averaged 44 minutes of travel time.
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