NASHVILLE – Unemployment dropped in more than one-third of Tennessee’s 95 counties in November, according to newly released data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
New data shows there are 91 counties with rates less than five percent and that includes the counties in our area. There are only four counties in the state with rates higher than five percent.
In our area, Weakley Co. shows the lowest unemployment, with 3.3 percent, up slightly from the 3.2 percent the previous month. Henry County is at 3.7 percent, up from 3.6 percent in October; Obion County is at 3.9 percent, up from 4 percent; Benton Co. is at 3.9 percent, down from 4.4 percent. Stewart Co. is at 4.1 percent, up from 3.9 percent in October; and Carroll Co. is at 4.1 percent, down from 4.3 percent.
Rates decreased in 38 counties, remained the same in 24 counties, and unemployment increased in 33 counties during the month.
“It’s very encouraging to have so many counties with unemployment rates below 5 percent during November,” said Commissioner Jeff McCord. “As we moved closer to the busy holiday season, more Tennesseans were taking home paychecks, which is the ultimate goal.”
Williamson County has the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.2 percent. That figure is down 0.1 of a percentage point when compared to October.
Davidson County has the second-lowest unemployment rate for the month. Its current statistic of 2.3 percent mirrors the rate from the previous month.
Cheatham and Rutherford counties both have a rate of 2.4 percent. For Cheatham County, that represents an increase of 0.1 of a percentage point. Rutherford County’s rate did not change between October and November.
Clay County experienced an increase in unemployment, giving the county the state’s highest unemployment rate. Its rate jumped from 5.2 percent in October to 5.9 percent in November.
Hancock, Hardeman, and Bledsoe counties follow Clay County with rates of 5 percent. Hancock County’s rate dropped one-half of a percentage point, Hardeman County is down 0.1 of a percentage point, and Bledsoe County is up by 0.3 of a percentage point.
Statewide, seasonally adjusted unemployment was down 0.1 of a percentage point when compared to October, setting the November 2019 rate at 3.3 percent.
The United States’ unemployment rate for November is 3.5 percent, 0.1 of a percentage point lower than it was in October.
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