By Amye Anderson
UCBJ Managing Editor
UPPER CUMBERLAND – Unemployment rates across the state (3.5 percent) continue to hover below the national average (4.1 percent). Locally, the reported unemployment rate for March for the region is three-tenths of a percentage point higher (3.8) than the state’s reported rate.
While many UC counties remained on par with the previous month’s numbers, Clay (4.7), Cumberland (4.3), Jackson (4.7), Overton (3.9), and Pickett (3.5) each saw their rates improve by as much as half of a percentage point compared to the previous month.
Rounding out the region, with rates with little change compared to March numbers, were Cannon (3.1), DeKalb (4.3), Fentress (4.2), Macon (3.1), Putnam (3.5), Smith (3.2), Van Buren (4.3), Warren (3.8), and White (3.5).
| Counties | March 2018 | February 2018 | March 2017 |
| Cannon | 3.1 | 2.9 | 3.8 |
| Clay | 4.7 | 5.3 | 5.7 |
| Cumberland | 4.3 | 5.1 | 5.3 |
| DeKalb | 4.3 | 4.6 | 5.3 |
| Fentress | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.7 |
| Jackson | 4.7 | 5.4 | 6.2 |
| Macon | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.6 |
| Overton | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.6 |
| Pickett | 3.5 | 4.1 | 5.3 |
| Putnam | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.2 |
| Smith | 3.2 | 3.4 | 4.1 |
| Van Buren | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.9 |
| Warren | 3.8 | 3.8 | 4.1 |
| White | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.3 |
| UC | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.5 |
| TN | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.1 |
| US | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.6 |
Source: Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development
