Tennessee September 2026 unemployment rate remains steady

Tennessee’s unemployment rate held firm at 3.4% in September, the third month in a row the state has maintained this rate. Data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development found the rate was unchanged since July and down one-tenth of a point from September 2025. The state’s rate also remains below the national rate of 4.2% in September. Tennessee added 2,500 jobs between August and September 2026 with the biggest gains reported in the leisure and hospitality; professional, scientific, and technical services; and government sectors. In the past calendar year, Tennessee employers added 28,400 nonfarm jobs. The largest gains year-over-year were in the leisure and hospitality sector, followed by the healthcare and social assistance sector, and state government. TDLWD has compiled an analysis of the September 2026 unemployment data(opens in a new tab).