As the holiday season got underway this past November, Tennessee saw a notable increase in employment. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported that the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate had slightly dropped, hitting 3.6%, a 0.1 percentage point decrease from the same period in the preceding year.
Digging into details, nonfarm work opportunities across the state seemed to quickly grow, boasting a growth of 7,600 jobs over the month. It was within the realms of private education, health services, other services, and administrative support where the job numbers most significantly climbed. A year-over-year analysis revealed a larger growth of 34,800 jobs state-wide, with the professional and business services, along with the trade, transportation, and utilities sectors leading the pack, followed closely by leisure and hospitality.
In a closer county-level breakdown, 87 out of Tennessee's 95 counties saw unemployment figures fall below 5%. Williamson County achieved the state's lowest mark, maintaining a steady 2.9% rate, tying with its performance from the previous November. Notably, Perry County exhibited the highest unemployment rate at 6%, showing a one percentage point increase from November of the prior year.
However, not all data was forthcoming as usual. Due to a lapse in federal appropriations, household survey data was not collected in October 2025, leaving a gap in labor force estimates for that month. The state is still grappling to catch up and determine when the labor force estimates for December 2025 and January 2026 can be expected to be published. While October missed estimates due to this pause, industry employment numbers were available thanks to self-reported data from employers. Additional details regarding county and city unemployment figures for November are available for those interested in delving deeper.
