July 2012 County Unemployment Rates

RATE DECREASES IN 20 COUNTIES, INCREASES IN 59, AND STAYS THE SAME IN 16

NASHVILLE – County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for July 2012, released today, show the rate decreased in 20 counties, increased in 59, and stayed the same in 16.

Specific county information is available on the Internet; enter http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/labor_figures/LaborForceEstimates_Jul12.pdf

Tennessee’s unemployment rate for July increased to 8.4 percent, up from the June revised rate of 8.1 percent. The national unemployment rate for July 2012 was 8.3 percent, 0.1 percentage point higher than the June rate.

The state unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series.

Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 6.7 percent, unchanged from the previous month.  Davidson County was 7.4 percent, up from 7.3 percent in June. Hamilton County was 8.4 percent, up from 8.3 percent, and Shelby County was 9.7 percent, unchanged from the June rate. 

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