OCTOBER COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
Rate Shows Increase in 69 Counties

NASHVILLE - Tennessee’s October unemployment rate at 5.5 percent, up slightly from the September adjusted rate, was released on November 20, 2003. County unemployment rates released today showed that 69 county rates increased, 15 counties decreased, and 11 county rates remained the same.

The Williamson County rate of 2.7 percent, up from 2.6 over the month, registered the state’s lowest county unemployment rate. The Lauderdale County rate of 14.9 percent, up from 14.8, reported the state’s highest jobless rate.

Knox County registered the state’s lowest metropolitan county unemployment rate of 2.9 percent, up from 2.8, while Hamilton County remained the same at 3.6 percent. Davidson County was 4.2 percent, up from 4.0, and Shelby County was 6.2 percent, up from 5.8 over the month.

NOTE: Information will be available on the Internet; enter "http://www.state.tn.us/labor-wfd/labor_figures.