Greene County's unemployment rate rose to 16.6 percent in January from 15.2 percent in December, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

The state's latest unemployment report lists Greene County in January 2010 as having 24,740 people employed and 4,940 unemployed in a total labor force of 29,670 people.

Reflecting the recession's impact, unemployment in Greene County had risen steadily since October of 2008, peaking at 17.3 percent in July 2009.

However, since July 2009 the county's unemployment rate declined for four consecutive months until increasing again in December, and now, in January.

The Greene County jobless rate was 15.8 percent in August, 14.3 percent in September, 14.1 percent in October and 13.8 percent in November.

Tennessee's statewide unemployment rate rose in January to 11.5 percent from 10.6 percent in December.

The national unemployment rate also rose in January, going to 10.6 percent from 9.7 percent in December.

Greene County's January unemployment rates in recent years have been:

* 9.2 percent in 2008;

* 8.2 percent in 2007;

* 9.3 percent in 2006;

* 9.9 percent in 2005;

* 9.1 percent in 2004;

* 8.9 percent in 2003;

* 9.7 percent in 2002, and

* 9.3 percent in 2001.

Greene County's 16.6 percent unemployment rate in January 2010 was higher than all neighboring counties except that Cocke County tied Greene County with a Janaury jobless rate of 16.6 percent.

Here are the January 2010 unemployment rates in nearby counties:

* Cocke, 16.6 percent;

* Unicoi, 13.9 percent;

* Hamblen, 12.5 percent;

* Hawkins, 12.2 percent;

* Sullivan, 10.3 percent, and

* Washington, 9.8 percent.

The state's four most populous metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) reported these unemployment rates in January:

* Chattanooga, 10.1 percent, up from 9.4 percent in December;

* Knoxville, 9.3 percent, up from 8.7 percent in December;

* Nashville, 10.0 percent, up from 9.3 percent in December;

* Memphis, 11.3 percent, up from 10.4 percent in December.

The January unemployment rates in nearby smaller cities were:

* Bristol, 9.6 percent, up from 8.5 percent in December;

* Johnson City, 9.5 percent, up from 8.8 percent in December;

* Kingsport, 11.8 percent, up from 10.3 percent in December;

* Morristown, 14.0 percent, down from 14.1 percent in December;

* Oak Ridge, 9.1 percent, up from 8.7 percent in December.

Jobless totals for Greeneville and Greene County are counted together as one by the state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Marshall County, in Middle Tennessee south of Nashville, had the state's highest unemployment rate in January, at 20.3 percent.

Lincoln County, located in Middle Tennessee bordering Alabama, had the state's lowest January unemployment rate, at 8.3 percent.