County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for December 2011, released Thursday, show that the rate decreased in 56 counties, increased in 27 counties, and remained the same in 12 counties.

Tennessee’s unemployment rate for December fell to 8.7 percent, down from the November revised rate of 9.1. The national unemployment rate for December 2011 was 8.5 percent, a decrease of 0.2 percentage point from the November rate.

In Rutherford County, the unemployment numbers look better. When you compare the most recent statistics of November to December, November unemployment numbers came in a 7.1 percent and December numbers were recorded at 6.7 percent.