State numbers show brighter jobs front

Roane County continues to rebound from the recession if statistics on unemployment are any indication.

Statistics released late last week by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development reflect a 6.6 percent November jobless rate for the county.

That’s 0.7 percent lower than October’s 7.3 percent and means 26,150 of the county’s 28,010 workforce was working in November, state figures show.

A year ago, the state recorded Roane County’s unemployment rate at 7.1 percent.

Lower unemployment rates were a trend throughout the state in November. Tennessee’s jobless rate for the month was 6.9 percent, significantly lower than the 7.7 posted in October.

In November 2011, the state’s unemployment rate was at 8.2 percent.

The U.S. rate for November was 7.4 percent, a decrease of 0.1 percent.

Across the state, 91 of Tennessee’s 95 counties reported jobless rate decreases in November.

Only Warren County in Middle Tennessee saw an increase. Rates held steady in Clay, Pickett and Van Buren counties, all in Middle Tennessee.

Again, Middle Tennessee’s Williamson and Lincoln counties recorded the state’s lowest rates. Williamson County’s rate is 4.4 percent, with Lincoln County closely following at 4.8 percent.

Neighboring Knox County had the third-lowest rate at 5.2 percent.

Nearby Scott County had the state’s highest jobless rate at 15.3 percent. West Tennessee’s Obion and Weakley counties had the next-highest rates, at 12.3 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively.

Unemployment rates for surrounding counties in November were Anderson, 6.3, down 0.9 percent; Cumberland, 7.8, down 0.5 percent; Knox, 5.2, down 0.7 percent; Loudon, 5.6, down 1.1 percent; McMinn, 8.3, down 0.9 percent; Meigs, 9, down 0.7 percent; Monroe, 9.1, down 1.7 percent; Morgan, 8.8, down 0.7 percent; and Rhea, 9.1, down 0.8 percent.