Updated September 28, 2018

Unemployment rates improved across a vast majority of Tennessee in August. Eighty-six of the state’s 95 counties experienced lower unemployment according to newly released data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

While most counties saw a drop in unemployment, rates remained the same in eight counties last month and increased in one, Lake County saw its August rate jump from 5.2 percent to 5.4 percent.

Williamson County continued to have the state’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.8 percent a tenth of a percentage point drop from the previous month’s rate. Davidson County’s statistic held steady at 3.0 percent and tied for the second lowest rate in the state. While Sevier County matched Davidson at 3.0 percent, its rate dropped a tenth of a percentage point when compared to July.

Lauderdale County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate in August at 6.7 percent, but that figure is still 0.2 of a percentage point lower than the previous month.

Locally, Giles County’s rate was 3.8 percent down 3 tenths from the previous month, Lawrence County’s rate was 4.4 percent, Maury County’s rate was 3.3 percent, while Marshall County’s rate was 3.5 percent all down from the previous month.