Targeted Economic Development in Tennessee: An Industrial Cluster Analysis of a Multi-County Upper-Cumberland Region

The purpose of this study was to identify and rank industrial clusters in a rural, multi-county region in Tennessee. Counties in the study region include Clay, Fentress, Jackson, Overton, Pickett, and Putnam. Industrial clusters were identified at the 3-digit level of the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS).

Five industrial clusters were identified in this region: food manufacturing, primary metal manufacturing, fabricated metal manufacturing, transportation equipment manufacturing, and truck transportation.

These clusters were also analyzed for industrial characteristics, including average establishment size, employment growth, industrial multipliers, average worker wages and income, and revenue generated per worker. The differences in these characteristics were standardized and compiled into an equally weighted index.