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BLS lists Tennessee’s unemployment rate at 3.4 percent for September 2026 (preliminary), and its metro rates for the same month run from 2.8 percent in Nashville-Davidson to 4.1 percent in Memphis.
- State Rate3.4%September 2026, preliminary
- Lowest Metro2.8%Nashville-Davidson
- Highest Metro4.1%Memphis
- Metros Shown10from the BLS table
- Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TNSeptember 20262.8%
- Knoxville, TNSeptember 20262.9%
- Chattanooga, TN-GASeptember 20263.2%
- Johnson City, TNSeptember 20263.2%
- Morristown, TNSeptember 20263.3%
- Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VASeptember 20263.5%
- Cleveland, TNSeptember 20263.5%
- Jackson, TNSeptember 20263.7%
- Clarksville, TN-KYSeptember 20264.0%
- Memphis, TN-MS-ARSeptember 20264.1%
Source: BLS metro area unemployment table. The state rate and the metro rates are for different months as BLS printed them.
All Rates
| Area | Rate | Month | Preliminary | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee statewide | 3.4% | September 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | 2.8% | September 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Knoxville, TN | 2.9% | September 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 3.2% | September 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Johnson City, TN | 3.2% | September 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Morristown, TN | 3.3% | September 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 3.5% | September 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Cleveland, TN | 3.5% | September 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Jackson, TN | 3.7% | September 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 4.0% | September 2026 | Yes | BLS |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 4.1% | September 2026 | Yes | BLS |
Preliminary figures are revised by BLS in later months.
What We Could Not Confirm
- The state rate comes from BLS Economy at a Glance and the metro rates from the BLS metro table; both showed September 2026 (preliminary) when read, but they are different tables, so compare them with care.
- BLS rates for metros not on its metro table are not shown here.
- All rates are preliminary and BLS revises them in later months.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the unemployment rate measure?
The BLS share of the labor force without a job and looking for one. It does not measure wages or how many jobs are open.
Sources
Read on October 30, 2026. How we check: editorial standards; spot a mistake? Tell us.
Cite this page: It's Tennessee, “Tennessee Jobs and Unemployment by Metro”, itstennessee.com/living/jobs-and-unemployment/ (updated ). By the It's Tennessee editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.