Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023.
The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.
As of June of this year, national unemployment is at 3.5%, 0.1% lower than in May, marking a three-month stagnation—following a steady drop since that aforementioned COVID-affected peak.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.8% in Minnesota, to 4.9% in New Mexico and 5.5% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.
To that end, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in Tennessee using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in June 2022, which as of this writing is the most current Bureau data.
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#50. Sullivan County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.5%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 69,706 (3,104 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#49. Gibson County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.5%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 21,562 (962 unemployed)
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#48. Henderson County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.5%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 12,021 (538 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#47. Carter County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.5%
— 1 month change: +0.9%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 24,532 (1,103 unemployed)
AppalachianCentrist // Wikimedia Commons
#46. Hamblen County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.5%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -0.4%
-Total Labor Force: 28,746 (1,303 unemployed)
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#45. Montgomery County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.5%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 89,711 (4,080 unemployed)
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#44. Dyer County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
— 1 month change: +0.9%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 16,060 (733 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#43. Roane County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -0.3%
-Total Labor Force: 24,325 (1,113 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#42. Morgan County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 8,040 (369 unemployed)
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#41. Stewart County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.6%
— 1 month change: +0.9%
— 1 year change: -0.4%
-Total Labor Force: 5,476 (253 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#40. White County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.7%
— 1 month change: +1.2%
— 1 year change: -0.1%
-Total Labor Force: 11,650 (547 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#39. Marion County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.7%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 12,506 (593 unemployed)
AppalachianCentrist // Wikimedia Commons
#38. Grainger County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.7%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 10,011 (475 unemployed)
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#37. Pickett County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.8%
— 1 month change: +1.3%
— 1 year change: -0.3%
-Total Labor Force: 2,231 (106 unemployed)
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#36. Union County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.8%
— 1 month change: +1.2%
— 1 year change: -0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 8,062 (385 unemployed)
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#35. McMinn County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.8%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 22,307 (1,076 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#34. Claiborne County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: +1.3%
— 1 year change: -0.4%
-Total Labor Force: 13,124 (638 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#33. Jackson County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: +1.3%
— 1 year change: -0.5%
-Total Labor Force: 4,837 (236 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#32. Sequatchie County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 6,294 (308 unemployed)
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#31. Hardin County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 10,186 (499 unemployed)
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#30. Fentress County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: +1.2%
— 1 year change: -0.1%
-Total Labor Force: 7,671 (376 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#29. DeKalb County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 8,052 (397 unemployed)
Thomas R Machnitzki (thomasmachnitzki.com) // Wikimedia Commons
#28. Obion County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 12,431 (614 unemployed)
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#27. Hawkins County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.0%
— 1 month change: +1.3%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 23,518 (1,166 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#26. Carroll County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.0%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 11,457 (573 unemployed)
AppalachianCentrist // Wikimedia Commons
#25. Greene County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.1%
— 1 month change: +1.4%
— 1 year change: -0.4%
-Total Labor Force: 28,673 (1,453 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#24. Benton County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.1%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 6,794 (346 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#23. Cumberland County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: +1.2%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 22,794 (1,182 unemployed)
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#22. Campbell County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: +1.2%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 15,352 (798 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#21. Meigs County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: +1.2%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 5,213 (271 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#20. Wayne County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: +0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 6,419 (334 unemployed)
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#19. Unicoi County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: +1.3%
— 1 year change: -0.5%
-Total Labor Force: 7,272 (380 unemployed)
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#18. Houston County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: +1.2%
— 1 year change: -0.4%
-Total Labor Force: 3,263 (171 unemployed)
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#17. Rhea County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.3%
— 1 month change: +1.3%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 13,960 (733 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#16. Warren County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.4%
— 1 month change: +1.4%
— 1 year change: -0.3%
-Total Labor Force: 16,977 (909 unemployed)
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#15. Hancock County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.5%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 2,326 (128 unemployed)
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#14. Hardeman County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.5%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 8,994 (499 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#13. Clay County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.8%
— 1 month change: +1.3%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 2,838 (165 unemployed)
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#12. Van Buren County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.9%
— 1 month change: +1.7%
— 1 year change: -0.2%
-Total Labor Force: 2,065 (121 unemployed)
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#11. Grundy County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.9%
— 1 month change: +1.3%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 5,126 (301 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#10. Decatur County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.9%
— 1 month change: +1.2%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 4,331 (257 unemployed)
Dwight Burdette // Wikimedia Commons
#9. Cocke County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.9%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -0.3%
-Total Labor Force: 15,043 (895 unemployed)
Skye Marthaler // Wikimedia Commons
#8. McNairy County
– Current Unemployment rate: 6.0%
— 1 month change: +1.4%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 8,331 (498 unemployed)
Thomas R Machnitzki (thomasmachnitzki.com) // Wikimedia Commons
#7. Lauderdale County
– Current Unemployment rate: 6.0%
— 1 month change: +1.3%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 9,732 (582 unemployed)
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#6. Lake County
– Current Unemployment rate: 6.0%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 1,666 (100 unemployed)
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#5. Haywood County
– Current Unemployment rate: 6.1%
— 1 month change: +1.8%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 7,756 (473 unemployed)
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#4. Shelby County
– Current Unemployment rate: 6.1%
— 1 month change: +1.2%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
-Total Labor Force: 454,070 (27,822 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#3. Scott County
– Current Unemployment rate: 6.2%
— 1 month change: +1.5%
— 1 year change: +0.3%
-Total Labor Force: 8,196 (510 unemployed)
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#2. Bledsoe County
– Current Unemployment rate: 6.7%
— 1 month change: +1.6%
— 1 year change: +0.1%
-Total Labor Force: 4,366 (292 unemployed)
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#1. Perry County
– Current Unemployment rate: 6.8%
— 1 month change: +1.3%
— 1 year change: -3.9%
-Total Labor Force: 2,853 (193 unemployed)