MAURY COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — New data shows Maury County surpassed every other county when it comes to unemployment.
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce development reported its unemployment rate sits at over 6%, well above the state average. The same data shows Lewis County is not far behind.
"It does seem a little surprising. I would think...like maybe Nashville would be higher just because it's a bigger population," said Maury county resident Josh Sturgeon.
While more people have moved to Maury County, many of them are struggling to find a 9-to-5.
"To really find entry-level jobs that aren't fast food, it's definitely difficult," said another resident, Charlotte Napier. "It took me months to even find a job after I stopped working at my last one."
She's found a job for now but identifies with the plight of so many others.
"It's really hard, like I said, to find a job, especially one that'll pay you a living wage," she explained.
For others, the problem is keeping a career. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development pointed to a recent mass layoff by General Motors as a contributing factor to the unemployment rate, although the agency says those workers are supposed to return sometime this year.
In the meantime, other counties are catching a break. The data shows 89 of the 95 have unemployment rates below 5%, with Cheatham and Dickson counties touting the lowest rates.
"I mean just hopefully [Maury County has] a plan for like increasing opportunities...for, I mean, businesses to come in here," said Sturgeon.
"I definitely want to see more like employment opportunities, especially for younger people, entry-level jobs," concluded Napier.
While Perry County historically tends to have the highest unemployment rate, it now stands at the third most unemployed county, after Maury and Lewis counties.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nikki.hauser@newschannel5.com.
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