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Business View Magazine
Government jobs, ranging from municipal to federal,
employ approximately 40,000 residents of metropoli-
tan Jackson. Manufacturing remains an important
economic sector, as well, with nearly 500 manufactur-
ers present in the area. Construction, distribution and
trade, telecommunications, and travel and tourism are
also vital to the local economy. One of the most prom-
ising economic sectors for Jackson is the automobile
industry. In 2003, the Nissan Motor Co. produced its
first truck in a new $930 million plant. In 2018, the
Continental Tire Company will be breaking ground to
build a new facility in the metro area, and expects to
hire over a thousand workers.
Because of its diverse economy, Jackson was better
able to withstand the negative effects of the Great
Recession better than many southern cities; its un-
employment rate topped out at only approximately
seven percent. Today, the City of Jackson is focused
on breeding, creating, and enhancing even more eco-
nomic development and providing many incentives to
attract both businesses and residents to help revive
its inner city neighborhoods.
One such city program is called “Neighbors First.” Mike
Davis, the city’s Business Development Manager, de-
scribes how it works: “The Neighbors First program is
geared to give the community back to the community,”
he explains. “In various communities, there are dilapi-
dated properties that have reverted to the city due to
not paying taxes. The program allows the neighbors of
those dilapidated properties to be able to purchase
