New data released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development showed the vast majority of counties in the state had unemployment rates below 5% during December 2019.
In December 2019, unemployment rates compared with the previous month decreased in 12 counties, increased in 55 counties, and remained unchanged in 28 counties.
In Coffee County, the unemployment rate was 3.2% for December, up slighty from the 3.1 percent in November and the 2.9 % from December of 2018. In comparison to surrounding counties, Franklin County unemployment for December was 3.4%, Warren County was 3.7%, Grundy County was 3.8%, Cannon County was 2.7%, Bedford County was 3.4% and Rutherford County at 2.3%, which is tied with Davidson and Cheatham counties for the second lowest in the state. Williamson County remains the best rate in the state at 2.2%
Lincoln and Clay counties recorded the state’s highest unemployment in December. Each has a rate of 6.2%, which amounted to a 1.8% increase for Lincoln County and 0.3% for Clay County. The Lincoln County rate jump can be tied to the mass layoffs at the Goodman plant as that plant shutters operations.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment statewide held steady in December. The latest rate of 3.3% remained unchanged from Tennessee’s November unemployment rate.
Nationally, unemployment also showed no movement in December. The rate held steady at 3.5% for the last month of 2019.
