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Seasonal Unemployment Affects Tennessee Counties

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NASHVILLE (July 28) — New data released by the Department of Labor and Workforce Development showed increased unemployment rates across the United States and Tennessee during June. The country’s unemployment rate in June was 3.8%, a 0.4 percent-point increase from May’s rate. Tennessee’s June unemployment rate was 4.3%, a 0.9 percent-point increase from May’s rate. Taking seasonal unemployment into account, there is little change between the two months. Both entities have decreased unemployment rates from June 2021. 
 
In Carroll County, 573 members of the 11,457-person labor force were unemployed in June, giving the county a 5% unemployment rate. This is a 1.1 percent-point increase from May’s rate of 3.9% unemployment and a 0.6 percent-point decrease from the unemployment rate in June 2021.
 
Henry County unemployment rates were also affected by the summer season. Of the 14,481-person labor force, 635 members were unemployed in June, giving Henry County a 4.4% unemployment rate. This is a 0.9 percent-point increase from May’s unemployment rate and a 0.1 percent-point decrease from the unemployment rate in June 2021. 
 
644 members of Weakley County’s 15,254-person labor force were unemployed in June, giving the county an unemployment rate of 4.2%. This is a 0.9 percent-point increase from May and a 0.3 percent-point decrease from the unemployment rate in June 2021. 
 
Middle Tennessee contained all of the counties with the lowest unemployment rates, with the exception of Sevier County in East Tennessee. Williamson County recorded the lowest jobless rate in the state for June, with 2.8% unemployment. Cheatham County had the second-lowest rate with 3.2% of the labor force unemployed. 
 
Perry County’s unemployment rate of 6.8% was the highest in the state in June. Bledsoe County came in second with 6.7% unemployment. West Tennessee had six counties listed among counties with the highest unemployment rates: Shelby County, Haywood County, Lake County, Lauderdale County, McNairy County and Decatur County. 
 
Unlike the country and state’s data, Tennessee’s counties have not been seasonally adjusted. 
 
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) calculates county and statewide unemployment rates differently. It does not factor in seasonal impacts on data when determining county unemployment rates, while it does seasonally adjust the statewide unemployment number.