BURNOUT INDEX — TN — #3rd OF 50
Memphis
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Median household income is -20% vs. the national median, but cost of living at RPP 95.4 squeezes purchasing power. Unemployment at 6.5% and an average commute of 24.4 minutes compound the pressure. The index flags Memphis as a labor market where the conditions are stacked against workers.
Scored 2026-05-04. Data: Census ACS 5-year 2023, BEA RPP 2024. Unemployment: Census ACS (5-year estimate — BLS LAUS available with API key).
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 Census ACS 5-year estimate. BLS LAUS (monthly) used when API key available. Capped at 8%. | 6.5% | 2.6pp above 3.9% national (ACS period) | 30% | 24.4 | Census ACS 2023 DP03_0009PE |
| Total score | 43 | ||||
Memphis in context
Memphis ranks 3rd 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 6.5%, which is 2.6pp above the national reference figure of 3.9% for the ACS measurement period. The unemployment component contributes 24.4 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. Note: this figure comes from the ACS 5-year estimate, not the more timely BLS LAUS monthly series, which requires an API key for bulk MSA pulls.
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(6.5 ÷ 8) = 0.8125
Score = round(40 × 0.1580 + 30 × 0.4067 + 30 × 0.8125) = round(42.89) = 43
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 43 (0 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, 2026-05-04