December 2007 Unemployment Figures - County

NASHVILLE – Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December 2007, released last week, was 5.3 percent, up from the November rate of 4.9 percent.  The United States’ unemployment rate went up to 5.0 percent for December from 4.9 percent in November.

County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for December 2007, released today, show 10 counties decreased, 76 counties increased and 9 counties remained the same.  

Williamson County registered the state’s lowest county unemployment rate at 3.6 percent.   Knox County followed at 3.7 percent.  Pickett County had the state’s highest at 9.9 percent, followed by Marshall County at 9.1 percent.

Knoxville had the state’s lowest major metropolitan statistical area (MSA) rate at 4.0 percent, which increased from 3.9 percent in November. The Nashville-Murfreesboro MSA remained unchanged from November’s 4.2 percent.  The Chattanooga MSA was 4.3 percent, down from November’s rate of 4.4 percent, and the Memphis MSA went up to 5.5 percent from 5.2 percent in November.