Memphis, Tennessee Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Memphis rose 0.1 percentage points in April 2018 to 4.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points higher than the Tennessee rate. The unemployment rate in Memphis peaked in July 2009 at 10.4% and is now 6.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.8% in January 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Memphis unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	April 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.9%	-0.2	-0.5
Tennessee	3.4%	0.0	-0.6
Memphis	4.0%	+0.1	-0.5

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with April 2018 data as May 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 February 2010 at 64,727. There are now 39,259 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 23,910 in January 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,558. Memphis employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Memphis, Tennessee) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	April 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Memphis	25,468	+334	-2,973

Number of Unemployed Persons

Memphis, Tennessee Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Tennessee Unemployment Rate	Memphis Unemployment Rate	Memphis Unemployed
May 2018	3.8%	3.5%	—	—
April 2018	3.9%	3.4%	4.0%	25,468
March 2018	4.1%	3.4%	3.9%	25,134
February 2018	4.1%	3.4%	3.9%	25,097
January 2018	4.1%	3.3%	3.8%	23,910
December 2017	4.1%	3.3%	3.9%	24,540
November 2017	4.1%	3.3%	3.9%	24,745
October 2017	4.1%	3.3%	3.9%	24,645
September 2017	4.2%	3.3%	3.9%	24,937
August 2017	4.4%	3.4%	4.1%	25,700
July 2017	4.3%	3.5%	4.2%	26,229
June 2017	4.3%	3.6%	4.2%	26,599