Wilson's jobless rate climbs to close 2012

Wilson County’s unemployment rate ended 2012 on an uptick, rising half a point in December compared to November’s rate.

According to figures released Thursday from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, December’s jobless rate in Wilson County rose .5 percent to 6 percent from November’s rate of 5.5 percent.

Wilson joined 92 other counties in Tennessee with increases in December with only two counties showing a decrease and none remaining the same.

Wilson County raked tied for sixth with Sumner County in the state behind Williamson, Lincoln, Knox, Rutherford and Cannon counties, respectively, for the lowest unemployment rate in December. Scott County had the highest jobless rate with 16.8 percent.

Wilson County’s rate in December represents 3,750 unemployed workers compared to a 62,220-person workforce and does not include those who did not file with the labor department or no longer receive benefits.

Among Tennessee’s larger cities, Lebanon’s rate for December also rose .4 percent from November to 6.5 percent. The city’s rate represents 860 unemployed workers compared to a 13,210 labor force.

The Nashville-Murfreesboro metropolitan area, which includes Wilson County, also rose to 6.1 percent in December compared to November’s 5.5 percent. The rate represents 51,320 unemployed workers compared to an 843,890-person workforce, though the number of unemployed workers was fewer than 53,280 unemployed workers in November.

Tennessee’s unemployment rate for December remained flat at 7.6 percent compared to November. The statewide rate represents 235,700 jobless workers compared to a 3.13 million-person workforce.

The national unemployment rate for December was 7.8 percent, which also remained flat compared to November. The national rate represents more than 12.21 million unemployed workers compared to a 155.5 million-person workforce.