From Post staff reports

Wilson County’s unemployment rate dropped slightly for the month of August and is down almost a full percent compared to August 2011.

According to statistics released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development on Thursday, Wilson’s unemployment rate was 6.9 percent in August, down from 7 percent in July and down from 7.7 percent in August 2011.

Wilson’s unemployment rate was the sixth-lowest in the state. Lincoln County had the lowest rate and Williamson County had the second-lowest for August.

Of the 61,560 people in Wilson County’s workforce, 57,310 were employed, leaving 4,260 unemployed.

Neighboring Rutherford County had the eighth-lowest rate in August with 7 percent unemployment and Sumner County had the ninth-lowest rate with 7.2 percent.

Smith County’s unemployment rate was 7.4 percent last month, which fell from 7.8 percent in July. Trousdale County’s rate also dropped from 8.6 to 8.1 percent. DeKalb County’s rate fell from 8.6 to 8.2 percent and Davidson County’s rate remain unchanged at 7.4 percent.

The seasonally-adjusted state unemployment rate increased to 8.5 percent in August, up from 8.4 percent the month before. The national seasonally-adjusted rate fell from 8.3 percent in July to 8.1 percent in August.

The state unemployment rate is seasonally adjusted while the county unemployment rates are not. Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that eliminates influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools and other recurring seasonal events from economic time series.