Department of Numbers

Chattanooga, Tennessee Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Chattanooga fell 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points lower than the Tennessee rate. The unemployment rate in Chattanooga peaked in April 2020 at 14.0% and is now 10.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.1% in March 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Chattanooga unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
Tennessee 3.5% 0.0 0.0
Chattanooga 3.1% -0.1 -0.1
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Chattanooga, Tennessee, National

Chattanooga, Tennessee monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Chattanooga, Tennessee Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Chattanooga peaked in April 2020 at 36,750. There are now 28,187 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Chattanooga employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Chattanooga, Tennessee) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Chattanooga 8,563 -58 -307

Number of Unemployed Persons

Chattanooga, Tennessee Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Tennessee
Unemployment Rate
Chattanooga
Unemployment Rate
Chattanooga
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 3.5% 3.1% 8,563
December
2022
3.5% 3.5% 3.2% 8,621
November
2022
3.6% 3.5% 3.2% 8,781
October
2022
3.7% 3.5% 3.2% 8,816
September
2022
3.5% 3.4% 3.2% 8,712
August
2022
3.7% 3.3% 3.2% 8,885
July
2022
3.5% 3.3% 3.2% 8,955
June
2022
3.6% 3.2% 3.2% 8,944
May
2022
3.6% 3.2% 3.2% 8,807
April
2022
3.6% 3.3% 3.1% 8,659
March
2022
3.6% 3.3% 3.1% 8,648

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.