With a population of 60,000 citizens, Bartlett is listed among the 10 largest cities in Tennessee and is consistently classified as one of the best places to live in the State as well as the nation.
Most recently, Bartlett was graded as the 15th best suburban community in America by a national rating service.
As the largest suburban community of the Mem-phis Metro area, Bartlett maintains an ideally varied economy. It serves as one of the metro area’s and the state’s most vibrant economic engines for new technologies and job growth. Its diverse economy and pro-business environment make Bartlett a welcome home to new and existing businesses as well as to homebuyers.
Bartlett serves as the hub for Northeast Shelby County, which boasts over 15,000 businesses, 185,000 employees and 150,000 households.
The area is relatively young with an average age of 37 and an average household income near $100,000.
The Bartlett I-40 Corridor contains numerous multi-million-dollar corporate and regional headquarters, some of which exceed $1 billion in annual revenues.
Entrepreneurialism is alive and well in Bartlett and is reflected by the numerous start-up companies in medical devices, food processing, electrical equipment, hospitality and human services.
Bartlett Corporate Park is a testament to the can-do spirit that defines American ingenuity and determination. Many of these “homegrown” companies have become multi-million dollar corporations that are still headquartered in Bartlett.
In recent years, Bartlett has emerged as one of the largest concentrations of medical device manufacturing in the country. This dynamic industry provides good paying jobs for both professional technicians and advanced-degreed engineers and specialists. In addition, the area contains a large number of other life-science-related industries, including pharmaceuticals, laboratories and healthcare.
From a commercial perspective, the Bartlett/Wolf-chase area is the region’s largest retail center, as well as a prime hotel and restaurant venue. Most major retailers and service companies have a presence in the corridor, which provides excellent amenities for local residents and employees.
The fact that both Ikea and the Cheesecake Factory recently announced new locations in the Wolf-chase area is proof that our market is viewed nationally as viable and sustainable for the long term.
The workforce of Bartlett and Northeast Shelby County is perhaps its greatest strength. The region provides existing and prospective employers with a wide choice of skills and college degrees combined with a strong work ethic typical of this part of the country.
Together, Bartlett and Northeast Shelby County are a thriving residential and business corridor with a bright economic future.
Thousands of acres of developable land will carry the region well into the 21st century with an estimated build-out population approaching 500,000.
With all these positive developments, the citizens of Bartlett should feel confident that their community is on the right path and the future is indeed sunny
As president of the Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC), John Threadgill provided this “State of the Chamber” outlook for Bartlett.
