Rutherford County, TN - The latest unemployment figures for March are in, and Rutherford County once again proves its economic stance in the state is robust and continues to have impressively low unemployment rates. According to reports from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, March saw an unemployment rate of 2.4% in Rutherford County, tying it with five other counties to include Sumner, Dickson, Hickman, Wilson, and Robertson Counties.

CITIES In Rutherford County, TN: Within Rutherford County itself, all three of the main cities boasted unemployment figures below the 3% mark, showcasing a thriving job market across the county's expansive 619 square miles. Smyrna led the pack with the lowest figures at 2.4%, closely followed by Murfreesboro at 2.5%, and La Vergne at 2.6%. The slight differentials of only 0.1 points between the cities highlight the overall strength of the county's employment landscape. Data for Eagleville, TN, which is in Rutherford County, is not available in the numbers released by the state each month. 

CSA RATE: The Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which is listed as the "Nashville - Murfreesboro CSA," recorded the lowest unemployment number in the state, when examining all CSA's. The Nashville - Murfreesboro CSA scored an unemployment rate of 2.4% in March. The March figure was 0.1 percentage points above February's rate of 2.3%.

MSA RATE: When looking at the Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) of Tennessee, the "Nashville - Murfreesboro MSA" came in as the lowest in the state at 2.4%, which is up by 0.2 percentage points when compared to February's rate of 2.2%. The stand alone rate for Music City was 2.5% unemployment in Nashville.

Across the State: Statewide, newly released data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development revealed encouraging trends, with unemployment rates below 5% recorded in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties during March. County unemployment rates ranged from 2.2% to 4.6%, showcasing a broad-based improvement in labor market conditions. Notably, 12 counties across the state witnessed a decrease in joblessness during the month, while ten counties maintained stable rates, and 73 counties experienced a slight uptick.

Top 3 Unemployment Rates in the State: Williamson (#1) and Moore (#2) Counties stood out with impressively low rates of 2.2% in March, although Williamson County saw a marginal uptick of 0.1 percentage point compared to February. Meanwhile, Cheatham County (#3) followed closely at number 3 on the list with a rate of 2.3%, up by 0.1 percentage point from the previous month.

Numbers 4 – 10 on List: In the top 10 list, counties from 4th to 9th positions saw a rare tie in jobless rates at 2.4% for March. Sumner (#4), Dickson (#5), Rutherford (#6), Hickman (#7), Wilson (#8), and Robertson (#9) Counties shared this position, emphasizing the competitive employment landscape across the Volunteer State. Maury County secured the number 10 spot on the list of counties with the lowest unemployment rates in the state, boasting a jobless rate of 2.5% in March 2024.

HIGHEST: However, not all counties experienced such favorable trends, with Clay County topping the list for the highest unemployment rate in March at 4.6%, marking a notable increase of 0.6 percentage points. Lauderdale County followed closely with a rate of 4.5%, reflecting a slight uptick of 0.1 percentage point.

As reported on April 18, Tennessee’s statewide unemployment rate for March came in at 3.2%, a 0.1 of a percentage point drop when compared with the previous month. The statewide rate is adjusted to consider seasonal impacts on employment, while county unemployment rates are not adjusted. 
 
Next Month - May is Youth Employment Month: Many school districts across the Volunteer State have less than a month before classes end for the year. May is Youth Employment Month in Tennessee, and this year, TDLWD is working to find thousands of young Tennesseans jobs through the Youth Employment Program, or YEP.
 
Youth Jobs: Youths ages 14-24 can work year-round and potentially earn up to $4,000. Before school is out for the summer, the state encourages all young people to say Y-E-P to a J-O-B. Anyone interested in securing a good-paying job that could lead to new connections and career exploration can start by going to YEPTN.com.