UPPER CUMBERLAND – Unemployment rates in the Upper Cumberland decreased across the board in the month of August. All 14 counties saw numbers tumble from July’s revised report.
Five counties in particular posted jobless rates at 7.0 percent or lower, bettering the state’s August rate of 7.4, including Putnam (7.0), DeKalb (6.9), Cannon (6.5), Macon (6.1) and Smith (6.0).
Conversely, Pickett (11.0) and Van Buren (10.0) were still in double digits but numbers in those counties were better than July and August of last year, which stood at 11.9 percent for both, respectively.
Rounding out the region were Warren (7.8) Jackson (8.0), Overton (8.0), Fentress (8.3), Clay (8.5), Cumberland (8.5) and White (9.1).
Statewide, rates decreased in 83 of 95 counties, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Tennessee’s unemployment for August was 7.4 percent, 0.3 percentage points less than July’s revised rate of 7.7. The national unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) was 6.3 percent, down 0.2 percentage points from the previous month.
Counties |
August |
July |
August 2013 |
Cannon |
6.5 |
7.3 |
7.4 |
Clay |
8.5 |
9.4 |
10.0 |
Cumberland |
8.5 |
8.8 |
9.1 |
DeKalb |
6.9 |
7.4 |
8.2 |
Fentress |
8.3 |
9.3 |
9.0 |
Jackson |
8.0 |
8.9 |
9.6 |
Macon |
6.1 |
7.7 |
7.9 |
Overton |
8.0 |
8.1 |
8.6 |
Pickett |
11.0 |
11.2 |
11.9 |
Putnam |
7.0 |
7.8 |
8.0 |
Smith |
6.0 |
7.2 |
7.2 |
Van Buren |
10.0 |
11.1 |
11.9 |
Warren |
7.8 |
8.9 |
9.0 |
White |
9.1 |
9.5 |
11.0 |
TN |
7.4 |
7.7 |
8.3 |
US |
6.3 |
6.5 |
7.3 |