Rhea's February unemployment rate at 3.5 percent

NASHVILLE — More Tennesseans started the second month of 2024 on the job as employment improved across the state in February. According to newly released data from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD), every county recorded lower unemployment rates for the month.

Rhea County’s February unemployment rate was 3.5 percent, an improvement over Rhea County’s January unemployment rate of 4.6 percent. Last year, in February 2022, Rhea County unemployment rate 4.7 percent.

All 95 counties showed an improved unemployment situation when compared to their revised January numbers. The decrease in unemployment across the state led each county to post rates under 5 percent in February.

Moore County had the lowest unemployment in Tennessee with a remarkable rate of 1.9 percent. That represented a 0.8 of a percentage point drop from its January number.

Williamson County had the state’s second-lowest rate of the month at 2.1 percent, a 0.4 of a percentage point drop, followed by Rutherford County, which decreased from 2.7 percent to 2.2 percent in February.

While Cocke County had the highest jobless number in February at 4.7 percent, the county’s rate was down 1 percentage point when compared to January’s rate. Bledsoe County recorded the state’s next highest unemployment rate at 4.5 percent, which was down 0.8 of a percentage point from the previous month. Lauderdale County followed with a rate of 4.4 percent but also had one of the biggest decreases for the month, with a 1.2 percentage point drop.

As reported on March 21, the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February was 3.3 percent, down from 3.5 percent in January.

Nationally, unemployment increased by 0.2 of a percentage point during the month to 3.9 percent.

Unlike the statewide unemployment rate, county unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted to take into account factors such as holidays or weather events.

Tennesseans looking for a job or a career change can work one-on-one, at no cost, with a career specialist at one of Tennessee’s American Job Centers.