Greene County's unemployment rate increased to 12.0 percent in November from 11.6 percent in October, according to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Tennessee's jobless rate remained unchanged at 9.4 percent for the same period.

The United States' unemployment rate was 9.8 percent in November, up from 9.6 percent in October.

The state's latest unemployment report, released on Thursday, lists Greene County in November as having 25,960 people employed and 3,560 unemployed in a total labor force of 29,520.

The state in October had listed Greene County's total labor pool at 29,730, or 210 more persons than were counted as employed or seeking work in November.

Greene County's unemployment rate in November was higher than all neighboring counties except Cocke County, which had a 12.7 percent unemployment rate.

These were the jobless rates in nearby East Tennessee counties in November:

* Cocke County, 12.7 percent, up from 12.1 percent in October;

* Hamblen County, 10.7 percent, up from 10.1 percent in October;

* Hawkins County, 8.9 percent, up from 8.3 percent in October;

* Knox County, 7.2 percent, up from 7.0 percent in October;

* Sevier County, 9.4 percent, up from 8.6 percent in October;

* Sullivan County, 7.8 percent, up from 7.5 percent in October;

* Unicoi County, 9.7 percent, up from 8.6 percent in October, and

* Washington County, 7.9 percent, up from 7.8 percent in October.

The state's four most populous metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) reported these unemployment rates in November:

* Chattanooga, 8.8 percent, up from 8.6 percent in October;

* Knoxville, 8.2 percent, up from 8.0 percent in October;

* Memphis, 10.7 percent, up from 10.6 percent in October, and

* Nashville, 8.7 percent, unchanged from October.

The November unemployment rates in nearby smaller cities were:

* Bristol, 7.8 percent, up from 7.7 percent in October;

* Johnson City, 8.0 percent, unchanged from October;

* Kingsport, 8.8 percent, up from 8.0 percent in October;

* Morristown, 11.7 percent, up from 11.0 percent in October, and

* Oak Ridge, 7.9 percent, up from 7.4 percent in October.

Jobless totals for Greeneville and Greene County are counted together as one by the state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Greene County's November unemployment rates in recent years have been:

* 13.8 percent in 2009;

* 9.6 percent in 2008;

* 6.5 percent in 2007;

* 6.8 percent in 2006, and

* 7.0 percent in 2005.

Scott County, north of Knoxville and bordering Kentucky, had the state's highest county unemployment rate in November, at 19.9 percent.

Lincoln County, in Middle Tennessee, bordering Alabama, had the state's lowest county unemployment rate in November at 6.3 percent.