Tennessee unemployment rate holds at 3.4 percent for August - Nashville Banner

ON THE JOBS: Tennessee’s unemployment rate remained at 3.4 percent for August, which matched July for the lowest of 2026. The state added 1,800 jobs during the month, excluding farm employment, with the largest increases in leisure and hospitality, government, and construction, according to data released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development on Thursday. While the state’s unemployment rate remained below the national average of 4.1 percent, Tennessee workers made an average of $25.22 per hour and worked an average of 42.8 hours per week, which was less money and more time on the job than the national averages of $30.21 per hour and 41.9 hours per week, respectively.