Bedford County's unemployment rate fell 0.1 percent in the month of January to 5.4 percent, according to figures released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

In January, the county had a workforce of 22,860, with 21,620 employed and 1,240 out of work. Compared to last year, unemployment has risen 0.8 percent from last January's rate of 4.6 percent.

Tennessee's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January was at 4.9 percent, 0.1 percent lower than the revised December 2007 rate of 5.0 percent.

The United States unemployment rate for the month of January was also 4.9 percent.

"Tennessee's unemployment rate is following the national trend," said Commissioner James Neeley of the Department of Labor & Workforce Development.

"We've had moderate employment growth from December to January. If you look at the course of the last year, generally we've seen the rate move slightly upward as employment growth has been modest and increases in the number of people looking for work have grown somewhat more rapidly."

December-to-January gains happened in machinery manufacturing, which increased by 1,000; gasoline station employment, which increased 200; and telecommunications jobs, which increased 200. Month-to-month declines included trade, transportation and utilities employment, down 21,700. Professional and business services lost 18,400 jobs, and leisure and hospitality lost 9,700 jobs from December.

Over-the-year increases led with gains of 9,000 jobs in educational and health services. Leisure and hospitality employment increased by 4,600; and government jobs were up 3,700. Manufacturing jobs were down from a year ago with employment decreasing by 16,100; real estate, rental and leasing employment lost 900 jobs and repair and maintenance employment declined by 500.

County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for January show that 89 counties increased. The rate decreased in four counties and remained the same in two counties. County unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted and therefore reflect seasonal expansions and layoffs that occur during the year.

The state and U.S. unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted to eliminate normal seasonal fluctuations and to indicate a more accurate measurement of actual economic change.

Williamson County registered the state's lowest county unemployment rate at 3.5 percent, the same as the December 2007 rate. Pickett County had the state's highest at 10.7 percent, up from 9.5 in December, followed by Perry County at 10.2 percent, up from 9.0 in December.

Knox County had the state's lowest major metropolitan rate at 3.8 percent, up from 3.7 in December. Davidson County was 4.2 percent, up from 4.1 in December. Hamilton County was at 4.6 percent, up from 4.3 in December, and Shelby County was 5.6 percent, up from the December rate of 5.4.