County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for April 2012, released Friday, show the rate decreased in 84 counties, increased in five counties, and remained the same in six counties.
Specific county information is available on the Internet at http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/labor_figures/Labor Force Estimates, Apr '12.pdf
Tennessee’s unemployment rate for April fell to 7.8 percent, down from the March revised rate of 7.9 percent. The national unemployment rate for April 2012 was 8.1 percent, 0.1 percentage point lower than the March rate.
The state unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series.
Lowest County Unemployment Rates
1. Williamson County 5.3%
2. Lincoln County 5.5%
3. Knox County 5.8%
4. Loudon County 6.2%
5. Blount County 6.3%
6. Wilson County 6.3%
7. Washington County 6.4%
8. Sullivan County 6.4%
9. Davidson County 6.5%
10. Sumner County 6.6%
Highest County Unemployment Rates
95. Scott County 15.4%
94. Obion County 12.7%
93. Pickett County 12.1%
92. Lauderdale County 11.9%
91. Perry County 11.6%
90. Marshall County 11.2%
89. Hancock County 10.9%
88. Weakley County 10.9%
87. Haywood County 10.8%
86. Lawrence County 10.6%
Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 5.8 percent, up from 5.6 percent in March. Davidson County was 6.5 percent, down from 6.6 percent in the previous month. Hamilton County was 7.0 percent, down from 7.3 percent, and Shelby County was 8.3 percent, down from the March unemployment rate of 9.1 percent.
County Unemployment Rate Range April 2012
Rate less than 5.0% 0 counties
Rate is 5.0% or greater, but less than 10.0% 73 counties
Rate is 10.0% or greater 22 counties
Rate is 20.0% or greater 0 counties