RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN - Eighty-two of Tennessee’s 95 counties reported unemployment rates below 5% in January, even as most counties saw an increase in jobless numbers compared to the previous month, according to newly released data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD).

The report shows that Rutherford County, with a 3% unemployment rate, now holds the second-lowest jobless rate in the state. Williamson County leads the state with the lowest unemployment rate at 2.8%, just 0.2 percentage points ahead of Rutherford.

Breaking down the numbers within Rutherford County, the Town of Smyrna saw its unemployment rate decline slightly by 0.1 percentage points, moving from 3% in December 2024 to 2.9% in January 2025. LaVergne maintained its 3% unemployment rate from the previous month, while Murfreesboro also remained steady at 3.1%. This means that among Rutherford County cities, Smyrna holds the lowest unemployment rate, followed by LaVergne and then Murfreesboro.

Statewide, the job market showed signs of strain, with unemployment rates rising in 87 of the 95 counties between December 2024 and January 2025. Six counties reported no change, while only two counties—Cannon and Monroe—saw their unemployment rates decrease.

Perry County reported Tennessee’s highest unemployment rate at 7.6%, marking a significant 2.3 percentage point increase from the previous month. Pickett and Cocke counties followed, both registering 7% unemployment rates, with Pickett’s rising by 1.9 percentage points and Cocke’s increasing by 2 percentage points.

Despite these fluctuations, Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained stable at 3.7% in January, unchanged from December’s revised figure. The national unemployment rate for the same period stood at 4%.