Tennessee Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips announced Thursday the Tennessee preliminary unemployment rate for January was 5.4 percent, two-tenths of a percentage point decrease from the December revised rate of 5.6 percent. The U.S. preliminary rate for January was 4.9 percent, one-tenth of one percentage point lower than the prior month.
Economic Summary
Over the past year, Tennessee’s unemployment rate decreased from 6.1 percent to 5.4 percent while the national rate declined from 5.7 percent to 4.9 percent.
Total nonfarm employment increased 13,100 jobs from December to January. The largest increases occurred in retail trade, mining/logging/construction, & professional/business services.
Over the year, nonfarm employment increased 96,000 jobs. The largest increases occurred in trade/transportation/utilities, professional/business services, & education/health services.
