Tennessee Labor & Workforce Development Commissioner Burns Phillips has announced the Tennessee preliminary unemployment rate for December was 6.6 percent, two-tenths of one percentage point lower than the November revised rate of 6.8 percent. The U.S. preliminary rate for December was 5.6 percent, also falling two-tenths of one percentage point from the prior month.
Economic Summary
- Over the past year, Tennessee’s unemployment rate decreased from 7.7 percent to 6.6 percent while the national rate declined from 6.7 percent to 5.6 percent.
- Total nonfarm employment increased 12,500 jobs from November to December. The largest increases occurred in trade/transportation/utilities, manufacturing, and mining/logging/construction.
- Over the year, nonfarm employment increased 66,200 jobs. The largest increases occurred in professional/business services, trade/transportation/utilities, and mining/logging/construction.
