The seasonal impacts on employment, such as school breaks, continued to have an impact on Tennessee’s county unemployment numbers in June, according to newly released information from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD).
The Labor Force Estimates for the Tullahoma-Manchester Micropolitan Area indicate a relatively low unemployment rate of 3.9%, but there has been a slight increase of 0.6 percentage points compared to the previous period. The total labor force is 48,376, which is relatively high among the listed Micropolitan Areas, but it experienced a decrease of 1,881 compared to the previous year. Further analysis and contextual information are needed to understand the factors influencing the local labor market, including industry trends, economic development initiatives, and population changes.
County unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted to take into account the effects of seasonal layoffs, while the statewide unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted.
The June 2023 data showed unemployment rates increased in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties during the month. Seventy-seven counties had an unemployment rate of less than 5% in June, while the remaining 18 counties had rates of 5% or greater but less than 10%.
At 2.8%, Williamson County reported the lowest unemployment rate in June. Its new statistic was 0.3 of a percentage point higher than the previous month’s rate. The rates for both Cheatham and Sevier counties were 2.9% for the month. The rates in both counties increased by 0.3 of a percentage point between May and June.
Bledsoe County had Tennessee’s highest unemployment rate for the month. At 6.5%, the county’s June rate jumped 1.2 percentage points when compared to its May rate. Scott and Van Buren counties shared the next highest rate of 5.9%. That represented a 0.6 of a percentage point increase for Scott County and an increase of 1.8 percentage points for Van Buren County.
Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate matched the state’s all-time low statistic of 3.2%, which represented a 0.1 of a percentage point decrease from the previous month.
Employers across the state having a difficult time finding employees can learn how second chances work by viewing the Second Chances Work Employer Resource Guide. The Tennessee Office of Reentry can work with businesses to show them how hiring justice-involved individuals can benefit their workforce and their budget with tax incentives and job training funds.
