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.
SEE FULL REPORT121K +
Supply Chain & Logistics employees
#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 | 2018 Jobs | 2023 Jobs | 2028 Jobs | Job Growth 2018 to 2023 (%) | Projected Job Growth 2023 to 2028 (%) | 2023 Location Quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services | 29,591 | 34,038 | 37,292 | 15% | 9.6% | 9.46 |
| General Warehousing and Storage | 14,212 | 24,395 | 27,583 | 71.6% | 13.1% | 3.50 |
| General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload | 7,447 | 6,575 | 6,029 | -11.7% | -8.3% | 3.02 |
| Process, Physical Distribution, and Logistics Consulting | 3,944 | 4,559 | 5,361 | 15.6% | 17.6% | 6.90 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers | 2,637 | 4,137 | 4,783 | 56.9% | 15.6% | 42.71 |
| General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Less Than Truckload | 4,281 | 4,093 | 4,028 | -4.4% | -1.6% | 3.92 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement | 3,217 | 3,620 | 3,818 | 12.5% | 5.5% | 3.31 |
| Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers | 2,559 | 2,293 | 2,254 | -10.4% | -1.7% | 2.20 |
| Medical, Dental, and Hospital Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | 1,776 | 2,116 | 2,162 | 19.1% | 2.2% | 1.70 |
| Motor Vehicle Supplies and New Parts Merchant Wholesalers | 1,979 | 2,043 | 2,046 | 3.2% | 0.1% | 2.80 |
| Top Ten: Supply & Logistics | 71,644 | 87,869 | 95,357 | 22.6% | 8.5% | |
| Industry Total | 106,470 | 121,674 | 128,312 | 14.3% | 5.5% |
| Industry Description | 2018 Jobs | 2023 Jobs | 2028 Jobs | Job Growth 2018 to 2023 (%) | Projected Job Growth 2023 to 2028 (%) | 2023 Location Quotient |
|---|
Note: Above industries reflect 6-digit NAICS industries within the Memphis TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Area. Employment estimates derived from Lightcast Q4 2024 dataset QCEW Employment.
Location quotient (LQ) is a way of quantifying how concentrated a characteristic of a particular region is compared to the nation. These characteristics could be an industry’s or occupation’s share of employment, resident demographic, online profiles or job postings. The LQ is the calculation that reveals what makes that particular region “unique” in comparison to the national average. For example, if an industry in Greater Memphis accounts for 2.5% of regional jobs but only 1% of jobs nationally, then Greater Memphis has an LQ of 2.5, which means that this industry is 2.5x more concentrated in the region than the typical region.
| Occupation Description | 2018 Jobs | 2023 Jobs | 2028 Jobs | Job Growth % (2018 - 2023) | Projected Job Growth % (2023 - 2028) | 2023 Location Quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 33,880 | 35,330 | 37,464 | 4.3% | 6.0% | 2.95 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 15,054 | 16,660 | 17,144 | 10.7% | 2.9% | 2.02 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 13,074 | 15,462 | 16,441 | 18.3% | 6.3% | 1.34 |
| Light Truck Drivers | 9,283 | 7,744 | 8,995 | -16.6% | 16.2% | 1.91 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving | 4,638 | 6,374 | 6,665 | 37.4% | 4.6% | 2.69 |
| Shipping, Recieving, and Inventory Clerks | 5,948 | 5,419 | 5,435 | -8.9% | 0.3% | 1.60 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufactuing | 3,562 | 4,056 | 4,294 | 13.9% | 5.9% | 0.77 |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | 1,241 | 2,086 | 2,062 | 68.1% | -1.2% | 1.08 |
| Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers | 1,107 | 1,818 | 1,935 | 64.2% | 6.4% | 2.32 |
| Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance | 1,345 | 1,016 | 1,023 | -24.4% | 0.6% | 1.24 |
| Top 10 Supply Chain and Logistics Occupations Total | 89,132 | 95,964 | 101,456 | 7.7% | 5.7% |
| Occupation Description | 2018 Jobs | 2023 Jobs | 2028 Jobs | Job Growth % (2018 - 2023) | Projected Job Growth % (2023 - 2028) | 2023 Location Quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Note: Above occupations reflect Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC codes) within the Memphis TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Area. Estimates derived from Lightcast, Q4 2024 dataset QCEW Employment.
Location quotient (LQ) is a way of quantifying how concentrated a characteristic of a particular region is compared to the nation. These characteristics could be an industry’s or occupation’s share of employment, resident demographic, online profiles or job postings. The LQ is the calculation that reveals what makes that particular region “unique” in comparison to the national average. For example, if an industry in Greater Memphis accounts for 2.5% of regional jobs but only 1% of jobs nationally, then Greater Memphis has an LQ of 2.5, which means that this industry is 2.5x more concentrated in the region than the typical region.
