The image shows the logo for the nashville area chamber of commerce research center, featuring a stylized graphical element resembling buildings and musical notes, symbolizing the combination of business and music which is characteristic of nashville.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its metro jobs data last week for the month of January. Nashville had the 6th highest growth rate from a year ago. The Nashville economy continues its strong growth. The different sectors of the economy continue to grow with 3 industries (Leisure and Hospitality, Information, & Wholesale Trade) experiencing double digit growth.

Chart 1

Bar chart showing job growth rates in various u.s. metropolitan areas with populations of at least 1m, between january 2022 to january 2023, with dallas experiencing the highest growth at 6.3%.

While worries of a recession and economic downturn are top-of-mind for many Americans, Nashville continues to see robust job growth across all sectors with the Leisure & Hospitality, Information, and Wholesale Trade industries showing double-digit growth. The Nashville economy is diverse and strong, making it resilient to broader economic conditions.

Chart 2

Bar chart showing the growth rate of various industry sectors from january 2022 to january 2023, with the leisure & hospitality sector leading at 13.8%.

Like everywhere else in the country, Nashville’s economy was hit hard by the pandemic, especially the hospitality and tourism industry. The sector lost almost 20% of its jobs in 2020, but has since recovered and has seen double digit growth in 2021 and 2022, showing that the demand in Music City is stronger than ever. The information sector has also seen tremendous growth, increasing 45% from 2016 to 2022.

Chart 3

A line graph titled "nashville industries growth rate 2016 - 2022," displaying the percentage growth rate of various industries such as retail trade, transportation, warehousing & utilities, information, professional & business services, private education & health services, and leisure & hospitality over the years. the graph includes a shaded area to indicate a recession period, impacting the growth rates. data source: bureau of labor statistics.

Chart 4

The line graph depicts the growth rates of various industries in nashville from 2016 to 2022, with a shaded area indicating a recession period during which growth rates dipped, particularly in 2020. it showcases a significant recovery post-recession, with all industries returning to positive growth rates by 2022.