NASHVILLE – Unemployment rates in nearly every Tennessee county, including distressed counties, declined during September, according to data released Thursday by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
In our area, Weakley County shows the lowest unemployment as well as the largest decrease. Unemployment there is now at 3.4 percent, which is down from 3.1 the previous month.
Other area counties: Henry is at 3.7, down from 3.8; Obion County is at 4 percent, down from 4.4; Stewart is at 4 percent, down from 4.5 percent; Benton County is at 4.1, down from 4.5 and Carroll is at 4.3, down from 4.6.
Ninety counties experienced lower unemployment in September, while the rate remained the same in one county, and increased in four counties. The latest statistics show unemployment rates are less than 5 percent in 90 counties and 5 percent or greater in five counties.
Several of Tennessee’s distressed counties saw significant improvement in unemployment compared to their August statistics. Rates dropped in 12 of the state’s 15 distressed counties.
“While it is never good to have unemployment increase in even one county, it is encouraging to see unemployment showing signs of progress in many of the state’s distressed counties,” said TDLWD Commissioner Jeff McCord.
Once again, in September, Williamson and Sevier counties claim the lowest unemployment rates in the state. Both counties recorded a rate of 2.3 percent, which is 0.2 of a percentage point lower than their August rates.
Davidson, Cheatham, and Rutherford counties each had an unemployment rate of 2.4 percent in September. Davidson County dropped 0.1 of a percentage point, while Cheatham and Rutherford counties both declined by 0.2 of a percentage point.
Clay County recorded the state’s highest unemployment in September. But the county’s rate of 5.6 percent represents a 0.4 of a percentage point drop when compared to the August rate.
Hancock County is another distressed county that experienced improved unemployment in September. The county’s preliminary rate of 5.2 percent is 0.7 of a percentage point lower than its revised August rate of 5.9 percent
Hardeman County had Tennessee’s second-highest unemployment rate for the month. At 5.4 percent, the rate jumped up by 0.7 of a percentage point from the August rate of 4.7 percent.
Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 3.4 percent in September, down 0.1 of a percentage point when compared to August.
Nationally, unemployment declined in September by 0.2 of a percentage point to 3.5 percent.
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