Unemployment rates in more than 20 Tennessee counties declined from the previous month, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced this week.
Hamilton County's unemployment rate held steady in December with a 3.4% rate, the same as in November. The rate, however, is up 0.5% from December of 2023.
In 23 of the state’s 95 counties, unemployment rates for December were down when compared with November rates. Rates remained the same in 39 counties and increased in 33 counties.
All but five Tennessee counties recorded unemployment rates of less than 5% in December. Those five counties had rates that were 5% or greater but less than 10%, with the highest at 5.9%.
Moore County reported the lowest unemployment rate for the month at 2.5%, down one-tenth of a percentage point from November. Williamson County had the second-lowest unemployment rate in the state. At 2.6%, it was unchanged from the previous month.
Unicoi County reported the highest unemployment rate for the month at 5.9%, the same as in November. Bledsoe, McNairy, Houston, and Lake counties followed with rates of 5.2%.
TDLWD reported last week that Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.6% in December. While up slightly over the previous month, the state’s rate is still five-tenths of a percentage point below the national rate of 4.1%.
2024 was a record year as Tennessee recorded all-time low rates of 3% in May, June, and July
Unlike the statewide rate, county rates are not adjusted to account for seasonal impacts on employment, such as weather and school breaks.
An overview of county unemployment data, including labor force estimates for local areas across the state, is available here.