Tennessee Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips announced Thursday the Tennessee preliminary unemployment rate for May was 4.1 percent, two-tenths of a percentage point decrease from the April revised rate of 4.3 percent. The U.S. preliminary rate for May was 4.7 percent, down three-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month.
Economic Summary
- Over the past year, Tennessee's unemployment rate decreased from 5.8 percent to 4.1 percent while the national rate declined from 5.5 percent to 4.7 percent.
- Total nonfarm employment decreased 13,400 jobs from April to May. The largest decreases occurred in government, leisure/hospitality, & professional/business services.
- Over the year, nonfarm employment increased 60,900 jobs. The largest increases occurred in education/health services, trade/transportation/utilities, & manufacturing.
In Rutherford County, this past April proved to be positive. Rutherford and Davidson Counties were tied at a 3% unemployment. Knox County was 3.2 percent in April, down from 3.4 the previous month. The Hamilton County rate was 3.8 percent, down from 4.0 in March. Shelby County was 4.5 percent, down from 4.7 percent the previous month.
