Business
Economic Development
Murfreesboro is set to become Tennessee's new business
address. It is home to MTSU, one of Tennessee's fastest
growing universities, which offers a diverse education
for today and tomorrow's highly-skilled workforce.
It is home to a wide array of residential and commercial
development options, along with some of the finest
schools in Tennessee. It is home to public and private
sectors committed to working together to stimulate
and encourage new business development and growth.
Statistics
The City of Murfreesboro, the county seat of Rutherford
County, is located at the geographic center of the
State of Tennessee approximately 35 miles southeast
of the state's capitol in Nashville. Murfreesboro is
located in Rutherford County, an adjacent county to
Metropolitan Davidson County. It is included in the
Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
The City of Murfreesboro recently received its 2000
population figures from the US Census Bureau and, according
to that federal agency, the actual count for the city
was 68,816, which represents an increase of 53.2 percent
over the 1990 census figure of 44,922.
Encompassing approximately 35 square miles, Murfreesboro
is now the sixth largest city in the state, ahead of
Jackson for the first time.
By the same token, Rutherford County's 2000 population
was 182,023, which is a 53.5 percent increase over
the 1990 census figure of 118,570.
In addition to residential growth, the city has
experienced considerable commercial and industrial
development during the 1990s. This non-residential
development is expected to continue for the next several
years, particularly commercial growth, to serve the
needs of a growing population.
The economic outlook for the city is excellent as
employment opportunity continues to expand. Rutherford
County Chamber of Commerce reported the unemployment
rate for Rutherford County dropped to 2.2 percent in
December of 1999 when compared to the state's unemployment
rate of 3.8 percent and a 4.1 percent rate nationally.
The largest employer in the county, Nissan Motor Manufacturing,
one of the few major automobile manufacturers expected
to post economic gains this year, employs approximately
6,200. Nissan has had its lease extended and plans
to expand its operation and add as many as 2,000 jobs.
Ingram Book Company employs about 2,300 workers and
Whirlpool about 2,000. The mean household income was
$63,416 in 1998 and is expected to be $86,158 by 2005.
Alvin C. York Veteran's Administration Hospital
is adjacent to Murfreesboro's city limits and provides
patient care to veterans from Tennessee, northern Georgia
and northern Alabama. In a memorandum of understanding
negotiated this year, Murfreesboro plans to take over
at least the fire service portion of the VA's activities,
In return, Murfreesboro will sign a 70-year lease on
the nine-hole VA golf course and make much-needed improvements
in the area.
Middle Tennessee Medical Center is located in Murfreesboro
and provides hospital care for patients from Rutherford,
Cannon, Coffee, Bedford, Warren, and DeKalb counties.
Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), with an
enrollment of over 19,000, offers an excellent education
along with extensive opportunity for art, sporting
events, drama and musical performances. It offers doctoral
degrees in Health/Physical Education, Chemistry, History,
English and Economics.
For more information, please visit the Rutherford
County Chamber of Commerce website: www.rutherfordchamber.org.
If you would like additional information about
the City of Murfreesboro, please call the City Manager
at 615-849-2629.
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