Tennessee’s unemployment rate continues to track well below the national average, according to the latest data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD).
In February, Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.6%, up slightly from the previous month and from one year ago, when the rate was 3.5%.
Despite the uptick, Tennessee continues to outperform the U.S. rate, which was 4.4% in February. The national rate is up one-tenth of a percentage point from January and two-tenths of a percentage point from a year ago.
Over the past year, total nonfarm employment in Tennessee decreased by 6,400 jobs. The largest declines were in the trade, transportation, and utilities sector, followed by manufacturing and federal government.
Between January and February, total nonfarm employment in the state decreased by 9,200 jobs, with the biggest losses in the private education and health services sector, followed by the trade, transportation, and utilities sector, and the leisure and hospitality sector.
In February, Tennessee’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.6%, up slightly from the previous month and from one year ago, when the rate was 3.5%.
Despite the uptick, Tennessee continues to outperform the U.S. rate, which was 4.4% in February. The national rate is up one-tenth of a percentage point from January and two-tenths of a percentage point from a year ago.
Over the past year, total nonfarm employment in Tennessee decreased by 6,400 jobs. The largest declines were in the trade, transportation, and utilities sector, followed by manufacturing and federal government.
Between January and February, total nonfarm employment in the state decreased by 9,200 jobs, with the biggest losses in the private education and health services sector, followed by the trade, transportation, and utilities sector, and the leisure and hospitality sector.
For Rutherford County, the numbers suggest continued economic resilience. Even as statewide job losses mount in certain sectors, the county’s unemployment rate remains well below both the state average of 3.5% in January and the national rate of 4.3%, highlighting the area’s ongoing population growth and economic activity.
Looking ahead, updated county-level data for February is expected to be released later this month, which will provide further insight into whether these early-year trends continue or stabilize as the spring hiring season approaches.
- TDLWD has compiled a comprehensive analysis of the February 2026 unemployment data.
