Rutherford County Unemployment Rate Down To 2.4 Percent

NASHVILLE, TN — The unemployment rate in Rutherford County was 2.4 percent in May, down sharply — 0.5 percent — from the April number, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development. The jobless rate fell in 94 of Tennessee's 95 counties in May.

That gives Rutherford County the sixth-lowest unemployment rate in the state, slipping from its usual third position. Nine of the 10 lowest county numbers were in Middle Tennessee. Twenty-one counties statewide had unemployment rates below 3 percent (For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Middle Tennessee Patch morning newsletter.)

In the last year, the Rutherford County jobless number has fallen a full percentage point.

The city-level rate in La Vergne was 2.5 percent, down 0.6 from April, and in Smyrna 2.2 percent, also down 0.6.

The state rate, reported last week, is 4 percent, down 0.7 percent from April's adjusted figure.

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