NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Are you looking for a job? Maybe not. New numbers from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce show that unemployment has been down for the past couple of months in nearly every county across the state. This data comes as September is National Workforce Development Month.
According to the data, ninety-three counties recorded rates below 5% in August, while two had rates slightly above the 5% mark.
Moore County had Tennessee’s lowest unemployment rate in August. At 2.4%, its statistic dropped 0.3 of a percentage point from July’s rate of 2.7%. Both Sevier and Williamson counties had rates of 2.5%, a decrease for both counties of 0.2 of a percentage rate when compared to their previous month’s rates of 2.7%.
Davidson County falls in the eighth spot on the list for the lowest unemployment rates in the state at just under 3%. That number trails counties like Rutherford, Sumner, and Williamson.
Lauderdale County had the state’s highest unemployment rate at 5.8%, which was the same as its rate in July. Bledsoe County had the next highest rate for August. At 5.2%, its rate decreased by an entire percentage point between July and August. Shelby County ranks 90th out of 95 counties with a rate of 4.7%.
Tennessee has many ways job seekers can access resources and data that can help them find work. There are more than 200,000 job openings listed online at Jobs4TN.gov. The job pool website is a tool that the department says can help continue to work to lower the unemployment numbers in the state.
The unemployment data for September 2023 will be released on Thursday, October 19, 2023. The Labor and Workforce department says these updated numbers show unemployment sits at a historic low level in Tennessee.
