Tennessee No. 1 in Southeast for lowest unemployment rate, reaches new record all-time low
Tennessee’s state unemployment rate is 3.4 percent – a new record all-time low
By Amye Anderson
UCBJ Managing Editor
UPPER CUMBERLAND – For the second straight month, Tennessee’s unemployment rate has set a record all-time low; shaving two-tenths of a percentage point off from the previous month’s rate.
The record-setting preliminary employment rate of 3.4 for July 2017 was recently announced by the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development (TDLWD).
“A continuing decline in the state unemployment rate is great news for all Tennesseans,” said TDLWD Commissioner Burns Phillips in a statement. “Governor Haslam made job creation a top priority in the state and the hard work of numerous state departments is moving Tennessee toward that goal.”
“However, it doesn’t matter how low the unemployment rate is if you are out of work,” Commissioner Phillips commented. “That’s why we are not letting up on the push to create new jobs across the state and help improve the quality of life for Tennessee families.”
The Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development also recently announced that Tennessee has the lowest unemployment rate in the southeast – in other words, Tennessee ranks No. 1 – with “1” indicating a low unemployment rate – out of all 12 states of the southeast.
Boasting a statewide unemployment rate of 3.4 percent, Tennessee tied for the top spot alongside Arkansas who also achieved a 3.4 percent unemployment rate.
Tennessee’s low overall unemployment rate ranks it No. 12 in the nation, which currently touts a 4.3 percent unemployment rate.
Locally, unemployment rates continued to shrink from the previous month for most Upper Cumberland counties, according to the July 2017 preliminary numbers reported by the TDLWD.
Preliminary unemployment rates for July 2017 for the Upper Cumberland are:
• Cannon 4.2%
• Clay 5.6%
• Cumberland 4.7%
• DeKalb 5.4%
• Fentress 5.3%
• Jackson 6.1%
• Macon 4.1%
• Overton 4.8%
• Pickett 4.8%
• Putnam 4.3%
• Smith 3.8%
• Van Buren 5.1%
• Warren 4.6%
• White 4.5%