County jobless numbers drop, still up from '07

Bedford County's unemployment rate dropped to an estimated 7.1 percent in July, according to preliminary numbers released Thursday by the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development.

Last month's unemployment rate for the county was 7.5 percent. Last July's jobless rate for Bedford County was at 5.3 percent.

Preliminary figures for the state showed an unemployment rate of 6.9 percent for July, up 0.4 percentage points from the June rate of 6.5 percent. The unemployment rate for Tennessee has not been this high since May 1987. The United States unemployment rate for the month of July was 5.7 percent, up from the June rate of 5.5 percent.

For the state last July, the unemployment rate was 4.6 percent.

In Bedford County, 23,070 people make up the labor force, with 21,430 employed and 1,640 out of work.

The highest unemployment rate the county has seen in the past 10 years was in the summer of 2003, when Bedford County had a jobless rate of 8.5 percent in June.

County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for July 2008 show that 60 counties increased. The rate decreased in 29 counties and remained the same in six counties.

Williamson County registered the state's lowest county unemployment rate at 4.6 percent, down 0.2 from the June rate of 4.8 percent. Perry County had the state's highest at 20.3 percent, up 5.5 percent from the June rate of 14.8 percent, followed by Lauderdale County at 14.5 percent, up from 11.4 percent in June.

Knox County and Davidson County tied for the state's lowest major metropolitan rate at 5.5 percent. Knox County's rate increased 0.1 percentage point from the June rate of 5.4 percent. Davidson County's rate decreased 0.1 from the June rate of 5.6 percent. Hamilton County was at 6.1 percent, up 0.2 from the June rate of 5.9 percent, and Shelby County was 7.4 percent, down 0.1 from the June rate of 7.5.

"Compared to last year, Tennessee continues to see job losses in manufacturing, professional/business services and financial activities employment," said Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development James Neeley. "At the same time we are experiencing year-to-year gains in educational and health services employment and in local government educational services."

From July 2007, educational and health services gained 6,500 jobs. Local government educational services employment increased by 2,900; and employment in general merchandise stores was up 1,700. Manufacturing jobs were down from a year ago with employment decreasing by 9,100; professional and business services employment lost 5,100 jobs and financial activities employment was down 3,400 jobs.

June-to-July gains occurred in clothing and clothing accessories stores employment, increasing by 500; jobs in hospitals increased by 300; and printing and related support activities employment increased by 200 jobs. Month-to-month declines included local and state government educational services with seasonal losses totaling 5,300. Manufacturing was down 3,600 jobs.