Counties with the highest unemployment in Tennessee
Despite a relatively low unemployment rate just shy of 4%, as compared to the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
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 April 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.
Economists forecast a waning risk of recession and predict that the U.S. may instead be headed for an incremental slowdown in growth known as a "soft landing." Still, layoffs among major U.S. employers like Amazon to Tesla have sparked concern among Americans. What's more, unemployment has spiked in nearly half the country's states, which often indicates a looming recession, an economist told Business Insider. And with sky-high prices after a period of record inflation, savings and unemployment payments may not cover basic expenses for jobless Americans for long.
For comparison, the Great Recession of 2007-09 sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
Still, as of April 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9%—little changed from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state vary, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.
Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Tennessee.
#50. Sequatchie County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,392 people (185 unemployed)
#49. Fentress County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,716 people (227 unemployed)
#48. Weakley County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,065 people (440 unemployed)
#47. Gibson County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,713 people (619 unemployed)
#46. Carter County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,386 people (705 unemployed)
#45. Bradley County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 50,805 people (1,451 unemployed)
#44. Sullivan County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 69,509 people (2,021 unemployed)
#43. Union County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,980 people (237 unemployed)
#42. Grainger County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,846 people (299 unemployed)
#41. Obion County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,049 people (394 unemployed)
#40. Henry County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,629 people (413 unemployed)
#39. Warren County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,672 people (499 unemployed)
#38. Fayette County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 18,896 people (573 unemployed)
#37. Roane County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,234 people (727 unemployed)
#36. Montgomery County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 90,935 people (2,758 unemployed)
#35. Stewart County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,928 people (181 unemployed)
#34. Haywood County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,420 people (262 unemployed)
#33. Henderson County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,892 people (366 unemployed)
#32. Carroll County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 11,757 people (369 unemployed)
#31. Claiborne County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,906 people (397 unemployed)
#30. Dyer County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,987 people (520 unemployed)
#29. Hawkins County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 23,344 people (722 unemployed)
#28. Tipton County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,291 people (853 unemployed)
#27. Greene County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 28,797 people (902 unemployed)
#26. Lake County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,579 people (50 unemployed)
#25. Hancock County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,289 people (74 unemployed)
#24. Jackson County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,834 people (155 unemployed)
#23. Benton County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,921 people (222 unemployed)
#22. Morgan County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 7,992 people (253 unemployed)
#21. Hardin County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,271 people (324 unemployed)
#20. Rhea County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,723 people (440 unemployed)
#19. Campbell County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,198 people (481 unemployed)
#18. Unicoi County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,083 people (237 unemployed)
#17. Van Buren County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,187 people (74 unemployed)
#16. Grundy County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,156 people (173 unemployed)
#15. DeKalb County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,665 people (258 unemployed)
#14. Hardeman County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,803 people (302 unemployed)
#13. Cocke County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,935 people (506 unemployed)
#12. McMinn County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,060 people (711 unemployed)
#11. Cumberland County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,159 people (831 unemployed)
#10. Decatur County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,370 people (152 unemployed)
#9. Scott County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,187 people (296 unemployed)
#8. Perry County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,786 people (104 unemployed)
#7. Houston County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,191 people (118 unemployed)
#6. Meigs County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,808 people (178 unemployed)
#5. McNairy County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,313 people (311 unemployed)
#4. Shelby County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 432,876 people (16,037 unemployed)
#3. Bledsoe County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,528 people (178 unemployed)
#2. Clay County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,875 people (118 unemployed)
#1. Lauderdale County
- April unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,206 people (380 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
