Jobless rate falls nearly one point

Wilson County’s unemployment rate decreased nearly one point in November compared to October’s rate and remains one of the lowest in the state.

According to figures released Wednesday from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, November’s jobless rate in Wilson County fell .8 percent to 5.5 percent from October’s rate of 6.3 percent.

Wilson joined 90 other counties in Tennessee with decreases in November with only one county showing an increase and three others remaining the same.

Wilson County raked sixth in the state behind Williamson, Lincoln, Knox, Blount, and Rutherford counties, respectively, for the lowest unemployment rate in November. Scott County had the highest jobless rate with 15.3 percent.

Wilson County’s rate in November represents 3,380 unemployed workers compared to a 61,630 workforce and does not include those who did not file with the labor department or no longer receive benefits.

Among Tennessee’s larger cities, Lebanon’s rate for November also fell .8 percent from October to 6.1 percent. The city’s rate represents 800 unemployed workers compared to a 13,100 labor force.

The Nashville-Murfreesboro metropolitan area, which includes Wilson County, remained flat at 6.4 percent in November compared to October. The rate represents 53,280 unemployed workers compared to an 837,700 workforce.

Tennessee’s unemployment rate for November decreased to 7.6 percent, down from the October revised rate of 8.2 percent. The statewide rate represents 236,000 jobless workers compared to a 3.1 million-person workforce.

The national unemployment rate for October was 7.7 percent, which was .2 percent lower than the October rate of 7.9 percent. The national rate represents just more than 12 million unemployed workers compared to a 155.3 million workforce.