RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN - The Tennessee Department of Labor has released the latest unemployment figures, highlighting Rutherford County as one of the top ten counties with the lowest unemployment rates in the state. Alongside five other counties, Rutherford County recorded an impressive 2.2% unemployment rate for April.

Among the individual cities within Rutherford County, Smyrna once again achieved the lowest unemployment rate at 2.2%, a decrease from 2.4% in March. Murfreesboro followed closely, with a reduction of 0.2 percentage points, bringing its unemployment rate down to 2.3%. LaVergne also saw improvement, with its rate dropping by 0.1% to 2.4%.

Statewide, all 95 counties in Tennessee reported lower unemployment rates in April. The highest rate recorded was 4.1%, illustrating a broad economic improvement. Williamson County led the state with the lowest unemployment rate at 2%, down from 2.2% in March, while Sevier County followed with 2.1%, a 0.4 percentage point decrease from the previous month.

Clay and Lauderdale counties, despite having the highest unemployment rates in the state, showed significant decreases to 4.1%, both dropping by 0.4 percentage points. Bledsoe County recorded the second-highest jobless rate at 3.9%, also seeing a 0.3 percentage point improvement from March.

These county-specific unemployment rates do not account for seasonal employment variations, such as school breaks and holiday season jobs. Last week, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate had dropped to an all-time low of 3.1%.

In light of these positive trends, the Youth Employment Program (YEP) continues to offer valuable opportunities for young adults aged 14-24 across Tennessee. The program matches participants with employers for mentorship and employment, allowing them to earn up to $4,000. More details can be found at YEPTN.com.