Rural Areas Of Tennessee A Key Indicator For Economic...

Overview Rural areas in Tennessee are showing increases in employment, education, and population, while decreasing the unemployment rate. Employment is a key indicator for economic status. Although employment rates are still not as high as before the recession, rural employment rates are looking more promising. Poverty rates in rural Tennessee are increasing for certain populations and family types, meanwhile decreasing for others. Slow Growth in Rural Employment Rural employment has increased since the recession period The employment rates peaked in 2007 for both urban and rural areas in Tennessee. The employment rates sharply declined in both areas from 2007 to 2009, displaying the effects from the recession. The highlighted area†¦show more content†¦By 2015, almost 55 percent of all rural areas had low employment. Rural unemployment rates continue to decline The unemployment rate has fallen for both rural and urban Tennessee the last 5 years. During 2012 and 2013, the rate remained stable until a sudden decline in 2014. Both rural and urban areas peaked in unemployment during 2009. During the recession, rural areas experienced a more dramatic increase in unemployment compared to urban areas, a difference of 1.6 percent. The share of individuals who are eligible to work is lower than before pre-recession levels The rural and urban civilian workforce in 2014 has declined in quantity compared to the pre-recession period. The civilian labor force is defined by the U.S. Bureau of labor Statistics (BLS) as the total number of Americans who have jobs or are seeking a job, are at least 16 years old, are not serving in the military and are not institutionalized. Nonmetro areas have a larger civilian workforce amount than urban parts, largely to do with majority of Tennessee being rural. From 2007 to 2014, the urban areas experienced a decrease of over 2,200 Americans; meanwhile rural areas have undergone a reduction of almost 50,000. Besides the difference in population rates, another contributing factor could be the age of the population, given that older populations are more likely to retire, decease, or provide less child birth. Population Continues to