NASHVILLE-Cocke County's unemployment rate rose six-tenths of a percent in July to 8.4 percent.

 

Out of a workforce of 16,860 residents, 1,410 were without jobs. The county's jobless rate for July is up 2.8 percent from July 2007.

 

In surrounding counties, Sevier County had the lowest mark for the month at 6.0 percent, up two-tenths of a percent from June.

 

Jefferson County was at 7-9 percent for July, up 1.1 percent, while Hamblen County was at 8.8 percent, up 1.6 percent. Greene County had the highest mark in the area at 9.5 percent, up from 9.2 percent in June.

 

Tennessee's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July 2008 was released last week at 6.9 percent, 0.4 percentage point higher than the June revised rate of 6.5 percent.  The United States unemployment rate for the month of July was 5.7 percent.

 

County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for July 2008, released today, show that 60 counties increased.  The rate decreased in 29 counties and remained the same in 6 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.