Memphis, Tennessee Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Memphis fell 2.2 percentage points in May 2020 to 11.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points higher than the Tennessee rate. The unemployment rate in Memphis peaked in April 2020 at 13.4% and is now 2.2 percentage points lower. You can also compare Memphis unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	May 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	13.3%	-1.4	+9.7
Tennessee	11.0%	-4.5	+7.5
Memphis	11.2%	-2.2	+7.0

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with May 2020 data as June metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Memphis, Tennessee, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Memphis, Tennessee Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Memphis peaked in April 2020 at 80,788. There are now 10,362 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Memphis employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Memphis, Tennessee) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	May 2020	Month/Month	Year/Year
Memphis	70,426	-10,362	+43,164

Number of Unemployed Persons

Memphis, Tennessee Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Tennessee Unemployment Rate	Memphis Unemployment Rate	Memphis Unemployed
July 2020	10.2%	—	—	—
June 2020	11.1%	9.7%	—	—
May 2020	13.3%	11.0%	11.2%	70,426
April 2020	14.7%	15.5%	13.4%	80,788
March 2020	4.4%	3.3%	4.0%	26,170
February 2020	3.5%	3.4%	4.1%	26,512
January 2020	3.6%	3.3%	4.1%	26,329
December 2019	3.5%	3.3%	4.0%	26,146
November 2019	3.5%	3.3%	4.1%	26,306
October 2019	3.6%	3.3%	4.1%	26,482
September 2019	3.5%	3.3%	4.1%	26,707
August 2019	3.7%	3.4%	4.2%	26,963