Cumberland County's unemployment rate rose to 12.7 percent in December 2009, up from November's rate of 11.2 percent.
Across the state, Tennessee posted an unemployment rate of 10.9 percent, up .7 percentage point from the November rate of 10.2 percent. County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for December 2009 show the rate increased in 91 counties, decreased in one and remained the same in three counties.
In Cumberland County, the 12.7 percent unemployment rate means that about 2,710 people of the 21,320-person labor force was unemployed during the month.
Lincoln County registered the state's lowest county unemployment rate at 7.1 percent, up .4 percentage point from its November rate. Lauderdale and Marshall counties had the state's highest unemployment rate at 18.9 percent. Lauderdale was up .4 percentage point from the November rate, and Marshall County increased from 16.8 percent in November.
Knox County had the state's lowest major metropolitan rate of 8.1 percent, up .4 percentage point from the November rate. Hamilton County was at 8.9 percent, up .5 percentage point from the November rate. Davidson County was 9.2 percent, up .4 percentage point from the previous month, and Shelby County was 10.3 percent, up .3 percentage point from the November rate.
Labor Commissioner James Neeley, commenting on the state's 10.9 unemployment rate, said, "This month we've seen a cumulative effect of statistical information which resulted in our high rate of unemployment. These figures are consistent with a weak holiday period that outweighed seasonal adjustments to the unemployment rate this time of year."
In 2008, the December unemployment rate was 7.6 percent. The national unemployment rate for December 2009 was 10 percent, equal to the November rate.
According to the Business Survey, 1,700 job gains occurred in retail trade, 1,200 in health care and social assistance, and 1,000 in professional, scientific and technical services. Major employment decreases occurred in manufacturing, down by 4,300, mining and construction declined by 3,900 and administrative, support and waste services declined by 2,900 jobs.
During the past year, health care and social assistance industries added 8,700 jobs, federal government added 1,500 jobs and local government educational services gained 1,400 jobs. Manufacturing decreased by 27,600 jobs from December 2008 to December 2009, while trade, transportation and utilities lost 26,800 jobs and mining and construction declined by 24,700 jobs.
