Smyrna has the Lowest Unemployment Rate in Rutherford County

Rutherford County, TN - November’s unemployment numbers improved in a majority of Tennessee’s 95 counties, according to newly released data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). Rutherford County was ranked at number 5 for having the 5th lowest unemployment rate in the state, tying with Wilson and Sumner Counties. Wilson, Rutherford and Sumner Counties each had an unemployment rate of 2.6% in November.

Statewide, sixty-two counties experienced a drop in jobless rates during November when compared to the previous month. The rates remained the same in 25 counties and increased slightly in the remaining eight counties.

City-by-City numbers in Rutherford County look positive as the year comes to a close. At 2.5%, Smyrna recorded the lowest unemployment rate in the county, followed by LaVergne at 2.6%. Murfreesboro had a jobless rate of 2.7% in November.

When comparing unemployment figures this year to unemployment numbers in November of 2021, it appears the jobless numbers have gone up only slightly. The unemployment rate for Murfreesboro in November of 2021 was 2.5%, which is 0.2 points lower than the unemployment rate in 2022. Last year’s unemployment rate in Smyrna was 2.4%, which is 0.1 points lower than this year's numbers. November 2021 and 2022 numbers for LaVergne are identical at 2.6%.

Overall, nearly every county in Tennessee logged an unemployment rate below 5% this past November. Only three counties marked rates exceeding 5% but under 10%.

Williamson, Moore, and Cheatham counties each had a rate of 2.5% in November, the lowest in the state. Williamson County’s rate increased by 0.1 of a percentage point compared to October’s revised figure, while Cheatham and Moore counties each saw their rates decline by 0.1 of a percentage point.

With rates of 2.6%, Wilson, Rutherford, and Sumner counties had the next lowest November unemployment in Tennessee. Sumner County’s rate went down by 0.2 of a percentage point, Rutherford County’s rate dropped by 0.1 of a percentage point, and the number for Wilson County was unchanged.

Bledsoe County’s November unemployment rate of 5.3% was the highest in the state and mirrored its rate from October. Perry and Scott counties had the next highest rates for November. At 5%, Scott County’s figure declined by 0.2 of a percentage point and Perry County’s rate decreased by 0.1 of a percentage point for the month.

Tennessee’s statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November remained unchanged from October’s rate of 3.5%.

County unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted to account for different seasonal impacts on the workforce.

TDLWD has prepared an in-depth analysis of the state’s county unemployment data which is available here.

TNWorkReady.com has easy-to-access links to Tennessee’s reemployment services, including Adult Education, the Office of Reentry, Apprenticeship TN, and how to locate the American Job Center closest to you.

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