CLARKSVILLE-MONTGOMERY COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BLUEPRINT

CLARKSVILLE-MONTGOMERY COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BLUEPRINT
The absence of a vibrant downtown in Montgomery County limits the region’s
ability to offer a distinctive quality of place. Healthy urban cores offer amenities
such as specialty shopping and dining experiences that both retain talented
residents and lure tourists from outside the area. In contrast, sprawling
communities are often characterized by big box retailers and fast-food outlets.
As a proportion of all restaurants, for example, Clarksville has the lowest
number of full-service restaurants among Tennessee’s major metropolitan areas.
While retail and food chains can be crucial in delivering goods and services
required by residents (and provide much needed sales tax revenues), they do
not distinguish one community from another. By improving its downtown product
offering and ensuring a high quality central city, Montgomery County can make
the region more attractive to both existing and prospective residents.
Looking Ahead
Between 2001 and 2010, the number of personnel stationed at Fort Campbell
swelled by more than 8,000, an increase of more than 25%. The infusion of
military personnel and associated civilian workers helped fuel the region’s
significant growth. During the past year, however, the number of personnel at
METROPOLITAN MEASURES OF DEVELOPMENT
Fort Campbell has fallen by more than 2,500, and further cuts remain possible as combat operations in Afghanistan continue to wind
down (although the 2013 BRAC decisions only cut 300 positions over the next five years). While Fort Campbell remains a vital asset,
Montgomery County and the greater Clarksville region must look elsewhere for tomorrow’s driver of economic growth.
If Montgomery County’s employment trajectory mirrors that of the US during the next decade, more than 9,000 new jobs will be
created through 2022. This would represent an increase of more than 14% above current employment levels. Given Montgomery
County’s recent track record of exceeding the national growth rate, future growth may very well exceed these projections.
Future employment growth may be supported by targeted industries such as Back Office Services and Distribution & Warehousing.
Other prospects include less concentrated but fast growing industries such as Software & IT, Professional & Business Services, and
Financial Activities. Regardless of the specific industry, Montgomery County’s primary employment challenge during the next decade
will be ensuring that as many jobs as possible are high-skill, high-wage positions.
Urban Area as a % of Metro Population
Full-Service Restaurants as % of All
Restaurants
SOURCE: US Census Bureau
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