NASHVILLE, TN (WGNS News) - Tennessee began the busy 2025 holiday season in November with more people statewide in the workforce than the previous year, according to newly released data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). The seasonally adjusted statewide unemployment rate for November 2025 dropped by one-tenth of a percentage point, to 3.6%, compared with the 2024 rate.
In Rutherford County, the unemployment rate in November 2025 stood at a low 3 percent. On a year-over-year basis, that reflects an increase of just one-tenth of a percentage point compared to November 2024. According to the most recent figures released by the state this week, Rutherford County continues to rank among the top ten counties with the lowest unemployment rates in Tennessee.
City-by-City Unemployment in Rutherford County - A closer review of the November unemployment data shows that Smyrna posted the lowest jobless rate at 3 percent, according to the most recent figures from the state. When comparing November 2025 to November 2024, Smyrna’s unemployment rate increased by just 0.1 percentage point. Murfreesboro recorded the second-lowest unemployment rate in Rutherford County in November at 3.1 percent, also reflecting a modest increase of 0.1 percentage point from the same month a year earlier. La Vergne reported an unemployment rate of 3.2 percent in November, representing a larger year-over-year increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to November 2024.
Statewide Numbers - Over the month, nonfarm employment in Tennessee grew by 7,600 jobs. The largest increases were in the private education and health services sector, the other services sector, and the administrative, support, and waste services sector.
In a year-to-year comparison, the state’s nonfarm employment increased by 34,800 jobs. The biggest gains were in the professional and business services sector, the trade, transportation, and utilities sector, and the leisure and hospitality sector.
Overall, eighty-seven of Tennessee’s 95 counties reported unemployment rates below 5% in November, while eight counties had rates between 5% and 10%.
Lowest - Williamson County had the state’s lowest unemployment rate for the month, at 2.9%, which matched its rate from November 2024. Trousdale, Sevier, and Rutherford counties had the next lowest jobless rates.
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Williamson County has the lowest unemployment rate at 2.9%
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Rutherford, Trousdale and Sevier counties tied for #2 with 3.0%
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Davidson, Wilson, Sumner, Cheatham, Dickson, and Haywood tied for third place with 3.1%
Perry County recorded the highest November unemployment rate at 6%, 1 percentage point higher than the rate recorded in the same month the previous year. Pickett, Meigs, and Grundy counties had the next highest unemployment rates in Tennessee in November.
- Read more details of the data released by the State of Tennessee HERE.
