November 2024 | Released December 19, 2024

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In November, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 6, rose in 25, and remained unchanged in 20.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.

• In November, payroll jobs rose in 39 states and fell in 12. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Washington. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Vermont.

Tennessee Employment Snapshot

• In November, Tennessee added 6,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 3.5 percent. In the prior month, Tennessee added 4,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Tennessee added 56,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 227,000 in November, or 0.1 percent. Tennessee is tied for 15th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In November, Tennessee’s private sector added 4,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 49,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Tennessee added 2,200 net private payroll jobs.

• In November, employment in Tennessee fell by 243, and over the past 12 months it rose by 34,647.

• Tennessee’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 59.4 percent in November and ranks 41st in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.2 percentage points.

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Tennessee Payroll Employment

• Tennessee added 6,300 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during November. In the prior month, Tennessee added 4,200 jobs. Tennessee nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 227,000 in November, or 0.1 percent. Tennessee is tied for 15th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Tennessee added 4,400 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during November. In the prior month, Tennessee added 2,200 jobs. Tennessee private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 194,000 jobs in November, or 0.1 percent. Tennessee is tied for 13th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during November were Education and Health Services (2,100) and Government (1,900).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Information (-300) and Other Services (-1,300).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (29,300) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (9,300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Financial Activities (-700) and Information (-1,200).

Tennessee Labor Force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in Tennessee remained unchanged at 59.4 percent in November.

• Tennessee ranks 41st in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Tennessee was 62 percent occurring in July 2019, and the 10-year low was 58.7 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.5 percent in November.