Unemployment rates in nearly every Tennessee county, including distressed counties, declined during September, according to data released this week by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Ninety counties experienced lower unemployment in September, while the rate remained the same in one county, and increased in four counties. The latest statistics show unemployment rates are less than 5 percent in 90 counties and 5 percent or greater in five counties.
Several of Tennessee’s distressed counties saw significant improvement in unemployment compared to their August statistics. Rates dropped in 12 of the state’s 15 distressed counties.
Cannon County for September had an unemployment rate of 2.9, that was an improvement over August of 3.3. Of the five counties surrounding Cannon, 2.9 rate placed the county in the middle of the pack with DeKalb and Warren with a 3.8 unemployment rate, Coffee with 3.1. Performing better was Rutherford with 2.4 and Wilson with a rate of 2.5.
Once again, in September, Williamson and Sevier counties claim the lowest unemployment rates in the state. Both counties recorded a rate of 2.3 percent, which is 0.2 of a percentage point lower than their August rates.
Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 3.4 percent in September, down 0.1 of a percentage point when compared to August.
Nationally, unemployment declined in September by 0.2 of a percentage point to 3.5 percent.
Job seekers can find more than 200,000 current openings from across the state on Tennessee’s workforce development website www.Jobs4TN.gov.