With a world-class global logistics network and an integrated transportation infrastructure, Memphis is the leader in taking your products to market.
Get a snapshot of Memphis's transportation, distribution, and logistics sector.
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119K +
Transportation/Material Moving Occupations
#1
Busiest Cargo Airport in North America
75%
United States Population Within a Two-Day Drive
Between our central location and our integrated transportation system of road infrastructure, rail mainlines, river ports, and the number one busiest cargo airport in North America, no wonder businesses in the transportation, distribution and logistics industry choose Memphis again and again. Plus, we offer superior operational value and flexibility with a specialization in the ability to take products to market and move raw materials.
Home to the world headquarters and world hub of FedEx and major UPS, DHL and U.S. Postal operations, Memphis provides hassle-free access and the most cost-effective distribution and logistics services in the nation. The FedEx World Hub in Memphis is the centerpiece of the distribution and delivery operations across the globe.
Memphis offers a deep bench of qualified talent, with over 100,000 people employed in transportation-related occupations. With internationally recognized brands leveraging the Memphis value proposition for distribution and logistics functions, Memphis offers reliable and cost-effective solutions to grow bottom-line revenues and improve supply chain management systems.
| Industry Description | 2017 Jobs | 2022 Jobs | 2027 Jobs | Job Growth 2017 to 2022 (%) | Projected Job Growth 2022 to 2027 (%) | 2022 Location Quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | 29,008 | 32,857 | 34,568 | 13% | 5% | 8.47 |
| General Warehousing and Storage | 12,214 | 25,560 | 30,566 | 109% | 20% | 3.59 |
| General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance | 11,862 | 11,233 | 10,757 | -5% | -4% | 3.34 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers | 2,626 | 3,836 | 4,793 | 46% | 25% | 38.70 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement | 3,280 | 3,660 | 3,851 | 12% | 5% | 3.35 |
| Medical, Dental, and Hospital Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 1,954 | 2,133 | 2,200 | 9% | 3% | 1.77 |
| Motor Vehicle Supplies and New Parts Merchant Wholesalers | 2,013 | 2,106 | 2,254 | 5% | 7% | 2.88 |
| Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers | 2,361 | 2,084 | 1,884 | -12% | -10% | 2.00 |
| General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers | 1,989 | 1,831 | 1,726 | -8% | -6% | 1.78 |
| Industrial Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers | 1,646 | 1,652 | 1,667 | 0% | 1% | 1.25 |
| Top Ten: Supply & Logistics | 68,955 | 86,951 | 94,266 | 17% | 5% | |
| Greater Memphis MSA Total | 102,280 | 119,002 | 126,883 | 16% | 7% |
| Industry Description | 2017 Jobs | 2022 Jobs | 2027 Jobs | Job Growth 2017 to 2022 (%) | Projected Job Growth 2022 to 2027 (%) | 2022 Location Quotient |
|---|
Shown in the table above, industries with the largest regional presence are highlighted. Measured by industry employment, the top 10 transportation and warehousing industries displayed account for over 90% of total transportation employment within the region. Pairing the strong critical mass of industry-specific skills with robust historical and projected growth, and our region’s strong infrastructure connectivity fuel our region’s specialization in the ability to get products to market.
Note: Above industries reflect 5-digit NAICS industries within the Memphis TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Area. Employment estimates derived from Lightcast, Q1 2023
Location Quotient: Measured against the Nation, location quotients (LQ) are a useful way of quantifying how concentrated a particular industry, cluster, or occupation is in a region as compared to a larger geographic area. An LQ of 1 is equally concentrated within both areas. An LQ of 1.5 indicates that the smaller geographic region is 50% more concentrated regionally, and an LQ of 2 indicates the geographic region is twice as concentrated regionally. An LQ of 0.5 indicates the smaller geographic region is 50% less concentrated against the larger geographic area.
| Occupation Description | 2022 Jobs | Median Annual Earnings | Avg. Hourly Earnings | 2022 Location Quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 22,339 | $31,275 | $16.11 | 2.54 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 13,525 | $48,369 | $24.69 | 1.82 |
| Light Truck Drivers | 10,700 | $42,897 | $21.84 | 2.70 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 7,852 | $31,179 | $15.87 | 1.54 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 5,700 | $37,907 | $18.39 | 2.09 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers | 4,240 | $58,134 | $29.78 | 2.39 |
| Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks | 3,621 | $37,691 | $18.77 | 1.79 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 2,563 | $29,072 | $14.26 | 2.81 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | 2,554 | $75,078 | $31.38 | 5.33 |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,526 | $99,247 | $57.74 | 0.89 |
| Top Supply Chain & Logistics Occupations Total | 75,620 |
| Occupation Description | 2022 Jobs | Median Annual Earnings | Avg. Hourly Earnings | 2022 Location Quotient |
|---|
Note: Above occupations reflect Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC codes) within the Memphis TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Area. Estimates derived from Lightcast, Q1 2023 dataset QCEW Employment.
Location Quotient: Measured against the Nation, location quotients (LQ) are a useful way of quantifying how concentrated a particular industry, cluster, or occupation is in a region as compared to a larger geographic area. An LQ of 1 is equally concentrated within both areas. An LQ of 1.5 indicates that the smaller geographic region is 50% more concentrated regionally, and an LQ of 2 indicates the geographic region is twice as concentrated regionally. An LQ of 0.5 indicates the smaller geographic region is 50% less concentrated against the larger geographic area.
