Where: Jackson County, Ala., 30 miles southwest of Chattanooga, is the largest county in the tri-state region (1,130 square miles). It is bisected by Guntersville Lake on the Tennessee River.
Expected growth: The county is benefiting from Chattanooga’s incoming Volkswagen plant and “BRAC,” the base realignment and closure that will bring about 10,000 jobs to Redstone Arsenal in neighboring Huntsville, Ala., said Dus Rogers, president and CEO of the Jackson County Economic Development Authority.
Looking ahead: Expectations are high for growth at TVA’s Bellefonte Nuclear Plant. And a new industrial park in Hollywood, Ala., is expected to make Jackson County attractive for business and new residents. “It’s a great place to live and work and play,” Mr. Rogers said.