Jobless rate steady as year ends

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It’s not getting any better, but it’s not getting much worse.

That’s a generalized version of Scott County’s unemployment rate as 2009 comes to a close.

Numbers released last week by the Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development indicate that Scott County’s unemployment rate rose slightly in November, to from 17.7% to 17.8%.

That remains well below the high of 19.4% reached in late summer, before jobless rates stabalized.

The Labor Department’s numbers are based on a local workforce of 8,210 workers. There were 6,750 employed during the month of November, with 1,460 without work and claiming unemployment benefits.

Statewide, the jobless rate decreased in 50 counties in November and increased in 36 counties.

In neighboring counties, the unemployment rate decreased in Anderson (9.4% to 8.9%), Campbell (13.1% to 12.9%) and Fentress (13.3% to 12.8%) counties. The jobless rate increased in Morgan (11.6% to 11.7%) and Pickett (14.4% to 15.3%) counties.

Scott County’s unemployment rate is currently the fourth-highest in the state, behind Lauderdale (18.6%), Haywood (18.0%) and Hancock (17.8%) counties.

The state’s lowest unemployment rate was posted by Lincoln County, at 6.7%. The statewide unemployment rate was 10.3% in November, down from 10.5% in October. The national unemployment rate for the month of November was 10.0%.

Among major metropolitan areas, Knox County posted the state’s lowest unemployment rate, at 7.7%, down from 7.8% in October. Hamilton County’s jobless rate was 8.5%, down from 8.7% the previous month. Davidson County’s jobless rate decreased from 8.9% to 8.8%, while Shelby County’s rate decreased from 10.1% to 10.0%.