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Strength in diversity: Washington County's employment picture

Washington County has a diverse economic base, and one that is well-suited to the 21st-century economy. Its primary employment sectors include education (not unsurprising with a 15,000-student university in Johnson City), government and health care. The county is also home to a diverse set of industrial employers, is a major player in the call center market, and is the premier retail destination for a large geographic area extending into Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina. These factors all have helped Washington County consistently boast one of the 10 lowest unemployment rates of Tennessee's 95 counties.

The county's top employers in 2010 were:

Mountain States Health Alliance:             3,541
East Tennessee State University:            2,330
Citi Commerce Solutions:                        1,950
James H. Quillen VA Medical Center:        1,592
Advanced Call Center Technologies:         1,400
Washington County School System:        1,200
American Water Heater Co.:                    1,170
City of Johnson City:                                853
Johnson City School System:                   832
AT&T Mobility:                                         650
The Johnson City Metro Area
(Washington, Carter and Unicoi counties)
had the following number of people
employed in these non-agricultural
employment groups as of early 2010:

Government:                                    17,900
Education and Health:                      13,400
Transport/Utilities/Trade:                  13,300
Wholesale and Retail:                       12,100
Goods Production:                            11,400
Manufacturing:                                 8,400
Professional and Business Services:   7,500
Financial Activities:                           4,600