📋 Tender Overview
Record-high unemployment rates recorded in counties across Tennessee in April experienced sizable decreases as the state slowly reopened in May 2020 according to preliminary data released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.All 95 of Tennessees counties had lower unemployment rates in May compared to the number of individuals who could not work in April when many businesses closed in order to help slow the spread of COVID-19.Even with marked improvement 42 counties had unemployment rates greater than 5 but less than 10. Fifty-three counties more than half of the counties in the state had rates greater than 10 but less than 20.Weakley County had Tennessees lowest unemployment rate in May. The countys new rate of 7 is 2.5 percentage points lower than it was in April.Fentress County had the second-lowest figure in May at 7.1 down from 9.9 the month before. Williamson Countys unemployment rate was the third-lowest statewide. At 7.4 the rate is down 3.1 percentage points from the countys all-time high of 10.5 recorded in April.Sevier County continued to have the highest rate of unemployment in Tennessee. Still the countys new rate of 18.5 is a staggering drop of 10.6 percentage points from Aprils record high of 29.1.At 17.6 Warren County recorded the second-highest unemployment rate in May down 7.5 percentage points from Aprils rate. Marshall County had the third-highest rate for the month with a rate of 17.5 a decrease of 6.6 percentage points from the previous months rate.May unemployment numbers dropped in each of Tennessees three largest cities. Knoxville had the most significant decrease with its rate changing from 14.7 in April to 10 in May. Nashville experienced the second biggest decrease with unemployment dropping from 16.1 in April to 12.6 in May a difference of 3.5 percentage points. Memphis recorded a rate of 13.2 down 1.3 percentage points from Aprils rate.The statewide unemployment statistic from May also decreased significantly. The new preliminary rate of 11.3 is down from the revised April rate of 15.5.Nationwide unemployment decreased to 13.3 in May down from the 14.7 rate recorded the month before.Unlike the statewide rate county unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.A complete analysis of Tennessees May 2020 county unemployment data is available here.The state of Tennessee will release the statewide unemployment rate for June 2020 Thursday July 16 2020 at 130 p.m. CT.
