County's Jobless Rate Rises

NASHVILLE – Cannon County's unemployment rate increased to 9.5 percent in August.

That figure represents an 0.3 percent increase from the rate of 9.2 percent in July.

Of the 6,740 the state estimates as Cannon County's labor workforce, 640 were unemployed last month.

Statewide, county non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for August 2011, released today, show that the rate decreased in 57 counties, 28 counties increased, and 10 counties remained the same.

Tennessee’s unemployment rate for August was 9.7 percent, down from the July revised rate of 9.8. The national unemployment rate for August 2011 was 9.1 percent, unchanged from the July revised rate.

Lincoln County registered the state's lowest county unemployment rate at 6.4 percent, up from the July rate of 6.2 percent, followed by Williamson County at 6.8 percent, up from 6.7 percent.

Scott County had the state’s highest unemployment rate at 19.7 percent, down from 19.8 percent in the previous month, followed by Obion County at 17.2, up from 11.4 percent in July.

Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 7.7 percent, up from 7.5 percent in July.  

Hamilton County was 8.6 percent, up from 8.4 percent the previous month. Davidson County was 8.8 percent, up from 8.5 percent in July, and Shelby County was 10.4 percent, down from the July unemployment rate of 10.5 percent.