Tennessee set a record low for statewide unemployment in May when its seasonally adjusted rate dropped to 3% for the first time. The latest county unemployment data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development showed continued low county unemployment across the state.
LOCAL NUMBERS - Rutherford County, ranking number 6 on the top ten list of counties with the lowest unemployment in the state, recorded a 2.3% unemployment rate, the same rate recorded by four other counties in positions 4 through 8.
When examining the cities within Rutherford County, Smyrna once again topped the list with the lowest jobless rate at 2.3% for the month of May, the same rate recorded in April. Murfreesboro and La Vergne tied this time, both holding an impressively low unemployment rate of 2.4%. These two cities had an unemployment rate of 2.3% in April 2024.
STATEWIDE NUMBERS - Throughout the state, all 95 counties had unemployment rates at or below 4.4% in May and only five counties had a jobless number at or above 4%.
Eighty-six counties saw a slight uptick in their rates during May, while three counties recorded lower rates, and unemployment in six counties remained unchanged from April.
Sevier and Williamson counties had the lowest unemployment in the state in May with a rate of 2.1%. Sevier County’s number was unchanged from the previous month, while Williamson County’s rate inched up 0.1 of a percentage point.
Moore County had the next lowest rate at 2.2%, which mirrored its April rate.
Bledsoe County’s marked the highest rate in the state. At 4.4%, unemployment in the county increased by 0.5 of a percentage point between April and May.
McNairy County had the next highest monthly rate at 4.2%, an increase of 0.5 of a percentage point. Both Lauderdale and Scott counties had rates of 4.1%, which amounted to an increase of 0.1 of a percentage point in Lauderdale County and 0.5 of a percentage point in Scott County.
A breakdown of the May 2024 county unemployment data is available here.
Most Tennessee counties reported unemployment rates lower than the seasonally adjusted May national rate of 4%.
The state and national unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted to factor in seasonal economic influences such as school breaks and severe weather conditions, while county unemployment rates are not.
