November’s unemployment numbers improved in a majority of Tennessee’s 95 counties, according to newly released data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Hamilton County saw a 0.3 point decline in unemployment from October to November, falling from 3.5% to 3.2%. The greater Chattanooga metropolitan region saw a similar 0.2 point drop in the same time period, falling from 3.3% to 3.1%.
Across the state, sixty-two counties experienced a drop in jobless rates during November when compared to the previous month. The rates remained the same in 25 counties and increased slightly in the remaining eight counties.
Nearly every county in Tennessee logged an unemployment rate below 5%. Only three counties marked rates exceeding 5% but under 10%.
Williamson, Moore, and Cheatham counties each had a rate of 2.5% in November, the lowest in the state. Williamson County’s rate increased by 0.1 of a percentage point compared to October’s revised figure, while Cheatham and Moore counties each saw their rates decline by 0.1 of a percentage point.
With rates of 2.6%, Wilson, Rutherford, and Sumner counties had the next lowest November unemployment in Tennessee. Sumner County’s rate went down by 0.2 of a percentage point, Rutherford County’s rate dropped by 0.1 of a percentage point, and the number for Wilson County was unchanged.
Bledsoe County’s November unemployment rate of 5.3% was the highest in the state and mirrored its rate from October. Perry and Scott counties had the next highest rates for November. At 5%, Scott County’s figure declined by 0.2 of a percentage point and Perry County’s rate decreased by 0.1 of a percentage point for the month.
Tennessee’s statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November remained unchanged from October’s rate of 3.5%.
County unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted to account for different seasonal impacts on the workforce.
TNWorkReady.com has easy-to-access links to Tennessee’s reemployment services, including Adult Education, the Office of Reentry, Apprenticeship TN, and how to locate the American Job Center closest to you.