NASHVILLE - County non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for September 2011, released today, show that the rate increased in 51 counties, decreased in 32 counties, and 12 counties remained the same.

Tennessee’s unemployment rate for September was 9.8 percent, up from the August revised rate of 9.7. The national unemployment rate for September 2011 was 9.1 percent, unchanged from the August revised rate.

Lincoln County registered the state's lowest county unemployment rate at 6.6 percent, up from the August rate of 6.4 percent, followed by Williamson County at 6.9 percent, up from 6.8 percent. Scott County had the state’s highest unemployment rate at 19.5 percent, down from 19.7 percent in the previous month, followed by Obion County at 17.0, up from 16.6 percent in August.

Knox County had the state’s lowest major metropolitan rate of 7.7 percent, unchanged from the previous month. Hamilton County was 8.6 percent, also unchanged from August. Davidson County was 8.7 percent, down from 8.8 percent in August, and Shelby County was 10.8 percent, up from the August unemployment rate of 10.4 percent.

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