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October unemployment rate remains the same
unemployment map

 

The unemployment rate for October in DeKalb County was at 6.1 percent, the same as September.

 

The rate is noticeably down from the October 2013 rate of 8.1 percent, however. The local labor force for the county in October was at 9,090, with total of 8,540 people employed and 550 without work.

 

In surrounding counties, White came in with a 7.5 percent rate, Warren reported a rate of 6.9 percent, and Putnam was at 5.9 percent.

 

Cannon County’s rate was at 5.3 percent, Smith had a 5.1 percent rate, and Wilson was at 4.8 percent.

 

County unemployment rates for October show the rate decreased in 80 counties, increased in 10 counties, and remained the same in five counties.

 

Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate in October at 5.1 percent, down from 5.4 in September. Davidson County was 5.2 percent in October, down from 5.5 in September. The Hamilton County October rate was 6.2 percent, down from 6.6 in September. Shelby County was 7.9 percent in October, down from 8.3 in September. Tennessee’s unemployment rate for October was 7.1 percent, two tenths of one percentage point lower than the 7.3 September revised rate. The U.S. preliminary rate for October was 5.8 percent, down from 5.9 percent in September.

 

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.

 

Over the past year, Tennessee's unemployment rate decreased from 8.1 percent to 7.1 percent while the national rate declined from 7.2 percent to 5.8 percent.

 

Total nonfarm employment increased 7,900 jobs from September to October. The largest increases occurred in trade/transportation/utilities, professional/business services, and manufacturing.

 

Over the year, nonfarm employment increased 59,800 jobs. The largest increases occurred in professional/business services, trade/transportation/utilities, and leisure/hospitality.