Tennesseans received a dose of relatively good economic news this week with the release of the latest unemployment figures. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) announced that the unemployment rates in two-thirds of the state's counties declined in October. According to the data, 63 of Tennessee's 95 counties saw a drop in unemployment rates compared to September. Meanwhile, joblessness rates stayed flat in 15 counties and, unfortunately, rose in 17 counties.

The TDLWD's report highlighted that all but six counties are boasting less than 5% unemployment figures. It's a positive trend that clarifies that the job market is growing in much of Tennessee. Triumphant on the leaderboard with the state's lowest unemployment rates were Sevier, Moore, and Williamson counties, each reporting an October jobless rate of just 2.6%. For Sevier County, this represents a slight decrease from 2.7% in September, while Moore followed suit with a similar one-tenth of a percentage point drop. Williamson County experienced a slightly more significant two-tenths of a percentage point reduction.

Not all news was rosy, however. Weakley County, situated in the state's northwestern corner, was tagged with the unwelcome distinction of having October's highest unemployment rate at 6%, two percentage points higher than September. Close on its heels were Unicoi and Lake counties, each wrestling with unemployment rates of 5.6%. As noted in the TDLWD's figures, these increases point to the reality that economic recovery remains uneven across the state, with some communities feeling the sting more sharply than others.

The state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate slightly increased to 3.3% in October from 3.2% in September. Although this was slightly higher than the previous month, it is still notably below the national average of 4.1%. The TDLWD also reminds us that, unlike the state rate, county unemployment figures don't adjust to account for seasonal fluctuations, which can affect employment numbers.