County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for March 2012, released today, show the rate decreased in 89 counties, increased in five counties, and remained the same in one county. Specific county information is available on the Internet; enter http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/labor_figures/Labor Force Estimates Mar '12.pdf.

Tennessee’s unemployment rate for March fell to 7.9 percent, down from the February revised rate of 8.0 percent. The national unemployment rate for March 2012 was 8.2 percent, 0.1 percentage point lower than the February rate.

The state unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series.

Lowest County Unemployment Rates

1. Williamson County 5.2

2. Knox County 5.7

3. Lincoln County 5.8

4. Washington County 6.5

5. Wilson County 6.6

6. Rutherford County 6.6

7. Davidson County 6.6

8. Loudon County 6.7

9. Sumner County 6.8

10. Blount County 7.1

Highest County Unemployment Rates

95. Scott County 17.1

94. Obion County 15.2

93. Pickett County 13.9

92. Lauderdale County 12.8

91. Perry County 12.3

90. Cocke County 12.2

89. Marshall County 12.1

88. Weakley County 11.8

87. Haywood County 11.7

86. Jefferson County 11.5

Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 5.7 percent, down from 6.1 percent in February. Davidson County was 6.6 percent, down from 7.0 percent in the previous month. Hamilton County was 7.4 percent, down from 7.6 percent, and Shelby County was 9.1 percent, down from the February unemployment rate of 9.2 percent.