BURNOUT INDEX — TN — #11th OF 50
Memphis
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Median household income sits -20% vs. the national median against a BEA Regional Price Parity of 95.4. Unemployment at 4.1% and a 24.4-minute average commute put Memphis in the middle of the pack — the numbers don't make it a disaster, but they don't make it a bargain either.
Scored 2026-07-21. Data: Census ACS 5-year 2023, BEA RPP 2024. Unemployment: BLS LAUS (most recent month).
The receipts
Three components, three public sources. Each term is clamped to [0, 1] before weighting. The formula is published on the methodology page; any change to the weights requires a public ADR (ADR-0013+).
| Component | Raw value | vs. national | Weight | Contribution | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay-to-cost gap Median HH income vs. cost of living. Purchasing power index: 0.84 (wages below cost-adjusted national) | $64,743 RPP 95.4 | -20% national median income | 40% | 6.3 | Census ACS 2023 BEA RPP 2024 |
| Mean commute Minutes/day, ACS 5-year. Capped at 60 min. | 24.4 min | 2.1 min shorter than 26.5 min national | 30% | 12.2 | Census ACS 2023 |
| Unemployment rate BLS LAUS (monthly, MSA-level). Capped at 8%. Preliminary. | 4.1% | 0.2pp above 3.9% national (ACS period) | 30% | 15.4 | BLS LAUS LAUMT473282000000003 |
| Total score | 34 | ||||
Memphis in context
Memphis ranks 11th out of 50 major US metro areas on the Office Blues Burnout Index. The index measures three labor-market signals that directly affect worker quality of life: the gap between wages and cost of living, commute time, and unemployment pressure. It does not measure culture, management quality, or RTO mandates — those signals are not yet available at MSA level from primary sources without scraping.
The metro area population is approximately 1,337,082, making it one of the top-50 US metros by size. The data covers the Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA 32820), which typically extends well beyond the core city limits.
On wages vs. cost of living: median household income here is $64,743 per year (-20% the national median of $80,610). Against a BEA Regional Price Parity of 95.4 (national average = 100, higher = more expensive), that works out to a purchasing-power index of 0.84 relative to a national baseline of 1.0. Wages don't keep up with local prices on a cost-adjusted basis — that gap contributes 6.3 points to the burnout score.
On commute: the average one-way trip takes 24.4 minutes — 2.1 min shorter than the national mean of 26.5 minutes. The commute component contributes 12.2 points out of a possible 30 (capped when commute ≥ 60 minutes). Commute time is the most consistent predictor of reported job dissatisfaction in the academic literature; it compounds every other signal.
On unemployment: the rate is 4.1%, which is 0.2pp above the national reference figure of 3.9% for the ACS measurement period. The unemployment component contributes 15.4 points out of a possible 30 (capped at 8%). High unemployment signals a weak labor market where workers have fewer outside options — the classic condition for wage suppression and lower bargaining power. This figure is from BLS LAUS (2026-05-31), the most current available.
The score formula is editorial — 40/30/30 weights are a deliberate choice, not derived from regression. If you think the weights are wrong, the methodology page explains the rationale. Weight changes require a public ADR (ADR-0013+). The sources are federal, license-free for reuse with attribution.
HOW THIS IS CALCULATED
Formula (ADR-0012, binding):
burnout_score = round( 40 × clamp₀₁(1 − normalized_wage / cost_norm) // pay-to-cost gap + 30 × clamp₀₁(commute_min / 60) // commute + 30 × clamp₀₁(unemployment_pct / 8) // unemployment )
Where:
normalized_wage= $64,743 ÷ $80,610 (national median) = 0.8032cost_norm= 95.388 ÷ 100 = 0.9539pay_term= clamp₀₁(1 − 0.8032 ÷ 0.9539) = 0.1580commute_term= clamp₀₁(24.4 ÷ 60) = 0.4067unemp_term= clamp₀₁(4.1 ÷ 8) = 0.5125
Score = round(40 × 0.1580 + 30 × 0.4067 + 30 × 0.5125) = round(33.89) = 34
Full methodology, weight rationale, and source citations: /methodology#burnout-index. Weight changes are a brand contract — any modification requires ADR-0013+.
What changed since last update
Score moved from 43 to 34 (-9 points). Data sources refresh weekly via CI cron. Score changes reflect BLS LAUS monthly releases (unemployment) and are recomputed every Monday at 14:30 UTC.
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Raw JSON: /burnout-index/memphis-tn.json · License: CC BY 4.0 · Cite as: Office Blues Burnout Index, Memphis, TN-MS-AR, officeblues.net/burnout-index/memphis-tn, 2026-07-21