By DOUGLAS WATSON
Managing Editor
Greene County's unemployment rate rose in May to 8.3 percent from 7.2 percent in April, the state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development has reported.
Tennessee's May jobless rate was 5.9 percent, up from 5.1 percent in April.
The United States' unemployment rate in May was 5.2 percent, up from 4.8 percent in April.
Greene County was recorded by the state in May as having 28,700 people employed and 2,600 people unemployed in a total labor force of 31,300.
The county's jobless rate in May was the highest it has been in seven years. In comparison with Greene County's 8.3 percent unemployment rate in May, here are this county's jobless rates in six previous years:
* 6.1 percent in 2007;
* 7.4 percent in 2006;
* 8.2 percent in 2005;
* 6.4 percent in 2004;
* 6.5 percent in 2003;
* 5.2 percent in 2002.
Comparison With Neighbors
Also, Greene County's 8.3 unemployment rate was higher than that of any neighboring county.
Here are the jobless rate of nearby counties:
* Cocke County, 7.5 percent, up from 6.6 percent in April;
* Hamblen County, 6.4 percent, up from 5.3 percent in April;
* Hawkins County; 6.9 percent, up from 5.4 percent in April;
* Sullivan County, 5.1 percent, up 4.3 percent in April;
* Unicoi County, 6.3 percent, up from 6.0 percent in April;
* Washingtron County, 5.6 percent, up from 4.6 percent in April.
State's Highs And Lows
Williamson County, south of Nashville, registered the state's lowest May unemployment rate, 4.2, up from 3.4 per cent in April.
Perry County, in West Tennessee, had the state's highest May jobless rate, 13.1 percent, up from 12.3 percent in April.
Among Tennessee's major statistical metropolitan areas (SMAs):
* Knox County (Knoxville) had the state's lowest May unemployment rate, 4.6 percent, up from 3.8 percent in April;
* Davidson County (Nashville) had a May unemployment rate of 5.0 percent, up from 4.1 percent in April;
* Hamilton County (Chattanooga) also had a 5.0 percent May unemployment rate, up from 4.1 percent in April;
* Shelby County (Memphis) had a 6.3 percent May unemployment rate, up from 5.5 percent in April.
Nearby Smaller Cities
Nearby smaller cities had the following May unemployment rates:
* Bristol, 5.0 percent, up from 4.2 percent in April;
* Johnson City, 5.8 percent, up from 4.7 percent in April;
* Kingsport, 7.2 percent, up from 6.3 percent in April.
* Morristown, 8.9 percent, up from 7.7 percent in April;
* Oak Ridge, 5.2 percent, up from 4.4 percent in April.
