Unemployment rates up across the board in June

Increases increase in all 95 Tennessee counties

UPPER CUMBERLAND – Unemployment rates rose in all 95 Tennessee counties in June, marking the second month in a row for such news in the Upper Cumberland.

Only one UC county posted a rate below the state’s preliminary mark of 6.6 percent: Smith County at 6.3. Cannon (6.7) Macon (6.9) and DeKalb (7.0) were also among the lowest in the region, according to the numbers released today by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Topping the 10 percent mark were Pickett (10.7) and Van Buren (10.3). In May, rates in those counties had dipped to 9.9 and 8.8 percent, respectively, and 9.7 and 8.6 the month before.

Rounding out the region in June were Putnam (7.2), Fentress (8.0), Warren (8.2), Cumberland (8.3), Overton (8.3), Jackson (8.8), White (9.1) and Clay (9.3).

Despite the uptick statewide, locally all counties improved in their year-over-year numbers, including Van Buren, with a 3 percentage point decrease; White, which saw a 2.8 percentage point drop; and Macon and Clay, which both saw 2.2 percentage point decreases.

Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 6.6 was a 0.2 percentage point increase from May’s revised rate. The national rate was 6.1 percent in June, down from May’s rate of 6.3.