County unemployment rates for August 2014 show the rate decreased in 83 counties, increased in six counties, and remained the same in six counties.
Davidson County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate in August at 6.2 percent, down from 6.3 in July. Knox County was 6.3 percent in August, down from 6.6 in July. The Hamilton County August rate was 7.4 percent, down from 7.7 in July. Shelby County was 8.9 percent in August, down from 9.0 in July.
Tennessee’s unemployment rate for August was 7.4 percent, three tenths of one percentage point higher than the 7.1 July revised rate. The U.S. preliminary rate for August was 6.1 percent, down from 6.2 percent in July.
The state and national unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series.