Tennessee is an economically diverse region, a popular tourist destination and a leading center for several major American industries. Music is a huge part of Tennessee’s culture and economy, particularly in Nashville, its capital, and Memphis, its most populous city. Yet even though Nashville is known throughout the world as a musical mecca, it is the healthcare industry that is the greatest creator of Nashville jobs. Hundreds of healthcare companies are operating or based in Nashville; HCA, the world’s largest private operator of healthcare facilities, is headquartered there. Manufacturing is another principal source of jobs in Tennessee, which is home to several large automotive manufacturing plants, including the largest Nissan plant in North America.

FedEx is the largest single provider of Memphis jobs. The shipping company has been based there since 1973, and is a major reason why Memphis has the world’s busiest cargo airport. A wide range of industries provide employment in Knoxville and Chattanooga, TN’s third and fourth-largest cities. Much high-tech research is conducted in the Knoxville area at facilities such as the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Spallation Neutron Source. Manufacturing is a principal source of Chattanooga jobs; the insurance company Unum is also based there. One of the less recognized sources of Tennessee jobs is the publishing industry. Nashville is home to some of the country’s biggest religious publishing houses.