The Upper Cumberland followed the statewide trend of unemployment rates slightly increasing for the month of March.
The Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported increases in all 14 counties in the region. Clay County has the highest rate at seven percent, an uptick by o.1 percent compared to last month. Van Buren County saw the highest jump by 1.1 percent and ranks second with a percent of 6.9 percent.
Dekalb, Pickett and Smith counties saw rates climb by 0.6 percent. Cumberland, Fentress, Jackson, Overton, Putnam, Warren and White Counties all increased by less than 0.5 percent.
Five counties across the state experienced lower unemployment for the month. Rates went up in 86 counties and remained the same in four counties. Thirty-two of Tennessee’s counties had a jobless rate of less than 5%. The remaining 63 counties recorded a rate of 5% or higher.
The national average dropped by 0.2 percent for a 6.0 percent unemployment rate.
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