December jobless rates largely unchanged

UPPER CUMBERLAND – Unemployment rates were largely unchanged in the Upper Cumberland in the month December, although the region has seen a drop in its jobless numbers year-over-year.

Of the region’s 14 counties, few deviated from rates posted in November. But overall, the UC has seen a 0.9 percentage point drop in unemployment since December 2014.

Five counties posted rates at or below 5.3 percent, the state’s non-seasonably adjusted rate for December, including Macon (4.7), Smith (4.8), Cannon (5.3), Putnam (5.3) and Warren (5.3).

Rates increased in four counties: Cumberland (7.5), Fentress (6.7), Jackson (7.4), Van Buren (7.8) and Pickett (8.4).

Rounding out the region were White (5.6), Overton (6.2), DeKalb (6.7) and Clay (8.5). Clay and Pickett both ranked in the top 10 as far as highest unemployment rates statewide.

Overall in Tennessee, rates decreased in 43 counties, increased in 35 and remained the same in 17. For the month, Tennessee’s non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.3 percent, 0.1 percentage points lower than November. The national unemployment for December, as a comparison, was 4.8 percent, unchanged from the previous month.

Counties December November December 2014
Cannon 5.3 5.3 5.7
Clay 8.5 8.6 9.5
Cumberland 7.5 6.9 8.4
DeKalb 6.7 6.8 7.5
Fentress 6.7 6.6 7.7
Jackson 7.4 7.3 8.1
Macon 4.7 4.7 5.6
Overton 6.2 6.2 7.3
Pickett 8.4 7.9 9.5
Putnam 5.3 5.4 6.1
Smith 4.8 5.0 5.5
Van Buren 7.8 7.2 9.3
Warren 5.3 5.3 6.2
White 5.6 5.7 6.9
UC 6.0 6.0 6.9
TN* 5.3 5.4 6.1

*Not seasonally adjusted

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