April 5, 2025
By: Dwayne Page
More Tennesseans were on the job in February than the previous month as 88 of 95 counties including DeKalb reported a decline in their unemployment rates, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD) announced today.
DeKalb County’s unemployment rate for February was 3.9%, down from 4.3% in January but up slightly from 3.7% in February 2024. The local labor force for February was 7,880. A total of 7,575 were employed and 305 were unemployed.
In two Tennessee counties, unemployment rates in February were the same as in January. Five counties saw an increase.
Eighty-four Tennessee counties recorded unemployment rates of less than 5%. The remaining 11 counties had rates greater than 5% but less than 10%.
Williamson County reported the lowest unemployment rate for the month at 2.6%, a decline of two-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month.
Four counties — Cheatham, Wilson, Robertson, and Rutherford — had unemployment rates of 2.7%. Macon and Knox counties followed with rates of 2.8%.
Cocke County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate for February at 6.6%, a drop of four-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month.
Pickett County had the next-highest rate at 6.3%, a decline of seven-tenths of a percentage point. Lewis County followed with a rate of 5.9%. Its rate in January was 4.1%.
Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has remained steady at 3.7% for six consecutive months. The national rate in February was 4.1%.
Unlike the statewide rate, county rates are not adjusted to account for seasonal impacts on employment.
Job seekers can work one-on-one with a career specialist — at no cost — at one of Tennessee’s American Job Centers. Find a list of locations here.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Employment and Training can help remove barriers to employment through funded education, skills training, and supportive services.