Department of Numbers

Memphis, Tennessee Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Memphis fell 0.0 percentage points in April 2022 to 4.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.4 percentage points higher than the Tennessee rate. The unemployment rate in Memphis peaked in April 2020 at 13.1% and is now 8.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.6% in March 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Memphis unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate April 2022 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.6% 0.0 -2.4
Tennessee 3.2% 0.0 -1.6
Memphis 4.6% 0.0 -2.2
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with April 2022 data as May metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Memphis, Tennessee, National

Memphis, Tennessee monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Memphis, Tennessee Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Memphis peaked in April 2020 at 79,681. There are now 50,131 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 29,521 in March 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 29. Memphis employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Memphis, Tennessee) is also available.

Unemployed Persons April 2022 Month/Month Year/Year
Memphis 29,550 +29 -14,281

Number of Unemployed Persons

Memphis, Tennessee Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Tennessee
Unemployment Rate		 Memphis
Unemployment Rate		 Memphis
Unemployed
May
2022		 3.6% — — —
April
2022		 3.6% 3.2% 4.6% 29,550
March
2022		 3.6% 3.2% 4.6% 29,521
February
2022		 3.8% 3.4% 4.7% 30,525
January
2022		 4.0% 3.5% 4.9% 31,339
December
2021		 3.9% 3.6% 5.0% 32,285
November
2021		 4.2% 3.6% 5.0% 32,215
October
2021		 4.6% 3.7% 5.1% 32,692
September
2021		 4.7% 3.8% 5.4% 34,907
August
2021		 5.2% 4.0% 5.9% 37,959
July
2021		 5.4% 4.2% 6.4% 41,399
June
2021		 5.9% 4.4% 7.0% 44,915

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. ↩

Data on deptofnumbers.com is for informational purposes only. No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is offered or implied. Nothing on this site constitutes investment advice. Contact [email protected] if you have any questions, comments or suggestions. Privacy policy.