County unemployment rate rises slightly

Bedford County's unemployment rate climbed slightly in October to 12.3 percent, according to preliminary figures released Wednesday by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

The jobless rate only climbed 0.1 percent, according to the preliminary numbers, with the labor force of Bedford County reportedly at 22,040, a total of 19,340 employed and 2,700 out of work.

At this time last year, the county had an unemployment rate of 6.6 percent.

County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for October 2009 show that the rate increased in 38 counties, decreased in 42, and remained the same in 15 counties.

Lincoln County registered the state's lowest county unemployment rate at 6.9 percent, unchanged from its September rate. Lauderdale County had the state's highest unemployment rate at 18.9 percent, up 0.1 from the September rate, followed by Hancock County at 18.0 percent, down from 18.4 percent in September.

Knox County had the state's lowest major metropolitan rate of 7.8 percent, down 0.3 percentage point from the September rate. Hamilton County was at 8.8 percent, up 0.1 percentage point from the September rate.

Davidson County was 8.9 percent, down 0.2 from the previous month, and Shelby County was 10.2 percent, up 0.1 from the September rate.

The state's unemployment rate for October was 10.5 percent, unchanged from the September rate of 10.5 percent, according to Tennessee Commissioner of Labor & Workforce Development James Neeley.

"While the national unemployment rate increased to 10.2 percent, Tennessee's unemployment rate held steady at 10.5 percent for the second consecutive month," Neeley reported. "This continues a pattern of stabilization in most sectors of Tennessee's economy."

The October rate a year ago was 6.9 percent. The national unemployment rate for October 2009 was 10.2 percent, up from the September rate of 9.8 percent.

The state report also said that there were major changes in estimated nonagricultural employment from September to October of this year.

According to the Business Survey, 5,300 job gains occurred primarily in state and local government educational services; 5,000 in administrative, support and waste services; and 1,800 in private educational services.

However, major employment decreases occurred in leisure and hospitality, down by 6,900, mining and construction declined by 2,600, and manufacturing decreased by 1,400 jobs

Since October of last year, increases have occurred in health care and social assistance, which was up by 6,400; local government increased 3,300; and federal government gained 2,000;

But manufacturing was down by 37,100 jobs since last year; mining and construction lost 29,50