Tennessee Labor Force

A robust labor force is an essential component of a healthy economy. The labor force consists of the civilian population age 16 or older who are working (employed) or are looking for work (unemployed).

The labor force participation rate equals the percentage of population age 16 or older who are engaged in the labor force.

This dashboard presents the size of the current labor force and changes over time for the 10 states in the Southeast. Levels of unemployment and employment are also presented. Tennessee’s ranking for several measures shows both growth and decline relative to other Southeastern states and to the nation.

Long-Term Objective: Tennessee will have the No. 1 highest labor force participation rate in the Southeast by 2025. Increasing labor force participation indicates a greater share of Tennessee’s workforce is gaining employment, increasing income opportunities for Tennesseans.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS)