October 2016 County Unemployment Rates

NASHVILLE – County unemployment rates for October 2016, released today, show the rates decreased in 80 counties, increased in seven, and remained the same in eight counties. Specific county information for October is available online

For the month of October, Davidson County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate at 3.7 percent, decreasing from 3.9 percent the previous month. Knox County was 4.1 percent in October, down from 4.3 percent in September. The Hamilton County rate was 5.0 percent, decreasing from 5.1 the previous month.  Shelby County was 5.7 percent, also decreasing from 5.8 the previous month.

Tennessee’s preliminary unemployment rate for October was 4.8 percent, increasing two-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month’s revised rate. The U.S. preliminary rate for October was 4.9 percent, decreasing one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous month. 

The state and national unemployment rates are 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.

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