Unemployment Down in 94 Out of 95 Counties

NASHVILLE – Newly-released data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development highlighted an improving economy with lower unemployment in nearly every county across the state in August.

Unemployment rates decreased in 94 of Tennessee’s 95 counties during the month.

Benton was the only county with a slight increase of 0.1 of a percentage point in its month-to-month comparison.

Weakley County’s unemployment rate of 6.3 percent for the month of August was 1.7 percent lower than it was in July, when unemployment registered 8 percent. It was 2.1 percent lower than the national rate of 8.4 percent, and 2.2 percent less than the state average of 8.5 percent. Out of a total countywide labor force of 15,617 workers, 14,631 Weakley Countians were employed and 986 were unemployed.

Carroll County’s jobless rate was 7.5 percent for August, which represents a reduction of 1.4 percent from the previous month’s rate of 8.9 percent. It was 0.9 percent lower than the national rate and 1.0 percent less than the state average. Out of a total countywide labor force of 12,088 workers, 11,182 were employed and 906 were unemployed.

Henry County recorded a jobless rate of 7.2 percent for August, which was lower than any of the other counties bordering Weakley County. This is 1 percent less than July’s rate of 8.2 percent. It was 1.2 percent lower than the national rate and 1.3 percent less than the state average. Out of a total countywide labor force of 14,420 workers, 13,387 were employed and 1,033 were unemployed.

Gibson County registered 7.4 percent unemployment for the month of August, which is 1.4 percent less than the previous month. Gibson County’s jobless rate was 1.0 percent lower than the national rate, and 1.1 percent less than the state average. Out of a total countywide labor force of 22,366 workers, 20,705 were employed and 1,661 were unemployed.

At 7.4 percent, Obion County’s jobless rate for August decreased by 1.1 percent from July’s rate of 8.5 percent. Unemployment in Obion County was 1 percent less than the national average, and 1.1 percent below the state rate. Out of a total countywide labor force of 12,744 workers, 11,795 were employed and 949 were unemployed.

The Northwest Tennessee Economic and Community Development Region, which includes the counties of: Benton, Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Gibson, Henry, Lake, Obion and Weakley, registered an average unemployment rate of 7.4 percent for the month of August, which represents a decline of 1.2 percent below July’s rate of 8.6 percent. Unemployment in these Northwest Tennessee counties was 1 percent less than the national average, and 1.1 percent below the state rate. The region has a combined labor force of 109,979. Of this number, 101,826 were employed and 8,153 remained unemployed.

In other regions of the state, Moore County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate during the month of August. At 5.1 percent, unemployment in the county dropped by 1.3 percentage points when compared to the previous month’s revised rate of 6.4 percent.

Shelby County experienced the state’s highest unemployment in August. The county’s new rate of 13.4 percent is down 1.4 percentage points from the previous month’s rate of 14.8 percent.

The statewide seasonally adjusted jobless rate in August dropped to 8.5 percent, down 1.2 percentage points from August’s revised rate of 9.7 percent.

Nationally, seasonally adjusted unemployment also decreased in August. At 8.4 percent, the United States unemployment rate fell 1.8 percentage points from the revised August rate of 10.2 percent

Businesses across Tennessee are ready to help the state’s economy rebound by re-employing out-of-work individuals. Jobs4TN.gov, Tennessee’s workforce development website, currently has 219,000 open positions for all job skill levels.

Jobs4TN.gov also offers online assistance with writing a resume that will catch the attention of employers, advice on how to engage and impress during job interviews, and details about potential job training opportunities.

There are more than 80 American Job Centers across Tennessee that are open for business and offering job seekers one-on-one personalized assistance. Career specialists are ready to work with individuals to devise a reemployment plan that will help them rejoin the state’s workforce.

All the assistance is free to anyone who needs help finding a new job or career path.