RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WGNS News) – Rutherford County continues to rank among Tennessee's counties with the lowest unemployment rates, according to September 2026 figures released Thursday by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). The county's jobless rate improved from 3.1% in August to 2.7% in September, representing a four-tenths-of-a-percentage-point decrease. Rutherford was one of eight counties statewide to share the lowest unemployment rate for the month.

The latest figures also brought encouraging news for Rutherford County's three largest cities, with Murfreesboro, Smyrna and La Vergne all reporting lower unemployment than the previous month. Murfreesboro and La Vergne experienced the most noticeable improvements, each recording a four-tenths-of-a-percentage-point reduction. Murfreesboro's rate moved from 3.2% in August to 2.8% in September, while La Vergne went from 3.1% to 2.7%. Smyrna matched La Vergne's September rate of 2.7%, leaving Murfreesboro just one-tenth of a percentage point higher than its neighboring cities.

The year-over-year comparison was equally positive for Rutherford County's largest municipalities. In September 2025, Smyrna and La Vergne each reported unemployment rates of 2.9%, while Murfreesboro stood at 3.1%. One year later, all three cities posted better numbers, with Murfreesboro improving by three-tenths of a percentage point and Smyrna and La Vergne each showing a two-tenths-of-a-percentage-point improvement. Rutherford County as a whole also fared better than a year earlier, when its September 2025 rate stood at 3.0%.

A closer look at the county's labor force provides additional insight into the local economy. According to the state's September 2026 estimates, Rutherford County had a civilian labor force of 214,456 people, with 208,675 employed and 5,781 unemployed. By comparison, August figures showed 6,514 unemployed residents out of a labor force of 213,571. That means the estimated number of unemployed county residents was 733 fewer in September, while the number of employed residents increased by 1,618.

Rutherford County was joined by Williamson, Cheatham, Sevier, Trousdale, Macon, Wilson and Dickson counties, all of which recorded identical unemployment rates of 2.7%. Those eight counties shared the distinction of having Tennessee's lowest jobless rates for September. Bledsoe and Sumner counties also reported favorable numbers at 2.8%, although they were not alone at that level. Blount, Davidson, Knox and Robertson counties likewise registered rates of 2.8%.

The statewide picture showed improvement in every corner of Tennessee, with all 95 counties reporting lower unemployment rates than in August. No county recorded an increase or remained unchanged. Only two counties had rates of 5% or higher, while the remaining 93 stayed below that threshold.

Perry County, located southwest of Nashville, reported Tennessee's highest unemployment rate at 5.1%. Even so, its September figure represented an improvement of four-tenths of a percentage point from August's 5.5%. Hancock County followed at 5.0%, compared with 5.5% the previous month. Meigs and Hardeman counties were next at 4.6%, each improving from their August figures.

For the third consecutive month, Tennessee's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 3.4%, its lowest level of 2026. The state continued to outperform the national unemployment rate of 4.2%. Tennessee's statewide labor force included approximately 3.49 million people, with nearly 3.37 million employed.

The Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin metropolitan statistical area, which includes Rutherford County, also experienced stronger employment figures. The regional unemployment rate improved from 3.1% in August to 2.8% in September. The metropolitan area's labor force totaled more than 1.2 million people, including 1,166,998 employed residents.

Unlike the statewide and national unemployment rates, county and municipal unemployment figures are not seasonally adjusted, meaning they can reflect normal seasonal changes in employment. The latest numbers were released October 22, 2026, by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Additional information is available through the department's September 2026 county unemployment analysis.

Source: Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Labor Force Estimates – September 2026, released October 22, 2026. County figures appear on pages 2, 4 and 5 of the attached report. Municipal figures were also checked against the attached data.