Industry in Knoxville, Tennessee

The regional location of the main campus of the University of Tennessee, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and other Department of Energy facilities in nearby Oak Ridge, the National Transportation Research Center, and the Tennessee Valley Authority all contribute to the economy of Knoxville. Also, because of Knoxvile's central location in the eastern half of the United States, and it's proximity to two major Interstate highways, many warehousing and distribution companies operate in and around Knoxville. The Old City is home to most of Knoxville's historic warehouses and factories.

Knoxville was once also known as the Underwear Capital of the World. In the 1930s, about 20 textile and clothing mills operated in Knoxville, and the industry was the city's largest employer.

Another one of Knoxville's nicknames was The Marble City. In the early 20th century, a number of quarries were active in the city, supplying Tennessee pink marble.

Major companies headquartered in Knoxville include AC Entertainment (co-producers of the Bonnaroo Music Festival), Bandit Lites (major international provider of lighting production), Bush Brothers and Company, DeRoyal Industries, EdFinancial Services, Goody's Family Clothing, Petro's Chili & Chips, Pilot Corporation, Regal Entertainment Group, Scripps Networks (producer of HGTV, Food Network, DIY and Fine Living television networks; the Scripps Company also publishes Knoxville's daily paper, the News Sentinel), Jewelry Television, Weigel's, Sea Ray, Tennessee Valley Authority (a government corporation), Buddy's Bar-B-Q.

The median income for a household in the city is $27,492, and the median income for a family is $37,708.