Counties with the highest unemployment in Tennessee
In November, the national unemployment rate changed very little from October, rising from 4.1% to 4.2%. It's been slightly elevated in recent months compared to levels a year ago—likely a symptom of the Federal Reserve's higher interest rates, which can slow hiring and decrease job openings. It's up from 3.7% the year before, but for comparison, unemployment rates surged to 10% in October 2009 during the Great Recession, and a full recovery took years. At the height of the brief COVID-19 recession in April 2020, unemployment hit 14.7%.
To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Tennessee using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in October 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Despite the slight uptick in unemployment, the labor market added 227,000 jobs in November, according to the BLS.
In the private sector, employment increased by 146,000 jobs, with 50,000 jobs added in education and health services and another 28,000 jobs in trade, transportation, and utilities, according to ADP's National Employment Report. While Sun Belt states saw growth in manufacturing roles, other jobs diminished in the sector across the Rust Belt, which continues to see losses.
The labor market forecast for 2025 is still somewhat uncertain. The reelection of Donald Trump and his proposal to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico may send ripples throughout the economy. A tariff increase could create an inflationary environment, shifting the labor market as inflation inches toward the 2% goal.
To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Tennessee.
#25. DeKalb County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,630 people (331 unemployed)
#24. Scott County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,120 people (349 unemployed)
#23. Carroll County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 11,744 people (503 unemployed)
#22. Rhea County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 13,623 people (591 unemployed)
#21. Warren County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,732 people (725 unemployed)
#20. Hancock County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,341 people (104 unemployed)
#19. Greene County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,630 people (1,260 unemployed)
#18. Van Buren County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,211 people (100 unemployed)
#17. Decatur County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,350 people (194 unemployed)
#16. Meigs County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,801 people (217 unemployed)
#15. Hardeman County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,839 people (396 unemployed)
#14. McMinn County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,815 people (929 unemployed)
#13. Perry County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,762 people (127 unemployed)
#12. Clay County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,914 people (134 unemployed)
#11. Lauderdale County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,105 people (422 unemployed)
#10. Obion County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,067 people (596 unemployed)
#9. Haywood County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,374 people (397 unemployed)
#8. Shelby County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 431,222 people (20,320 unemployed)
#7. Houston County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,207 people (156 unemployed)
#6. Bledsoe County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,579 people (235 unemployed)
#5. McNairy County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,309 people (427 unemployed)
#4. Cocke County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,177 people (804 unemployed)
#3. Lake County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,602 people (89 unemployed)
#2. Unicoi County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,180 people (404 unemployed)
#1. Weakley County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 2.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,240 people (907 unemployed)
This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
