The unemployment rate decreased slightly between the months of November and December in Pearl River County.

Pearl River County’s unemployment rate was ranked 26th out of 82 counties in Mississippi during December.

According to information released by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, the unemployment rate in Pearl River County during the month of December was 4.5 percent, a decrease from November’s revised rate of 4.6 percent. In December of 2016, the unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in the county.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in December was 4.6 percent, a slight decrease from November’s revised rate of 4.8 percent. According to the release, December’s rate is the lowest the state has seen since January of 1976, when the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics began keeping a record.

In December of 2016, Mississippi’s adjusted unemployment rate was 5.5 percent.

Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in December was 4.1 percent, the same as the previous month’s rate.

In December of last year, the nationwide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.7 percent.

Seasonally adjusted rates take into account annual patterns such as weather, holidays, school schedules and other occurrences that affect employment rates. Only nationwide and statewide percentages are adjusted.

Mississippi’s unadjusted rate for December was 4.5 percent, the same as November’s rate, the report states.

Mississippi’s unadjusted rate for December 2016 was 5.7 percent.

Nationwide, the unadjusted unemployment rate for December was 3.9 percent, the same as the previous month’s rate. In December of the previous year, the unadjusted unemployment rate in the United States was 4.5 percent.

Of Mississippi’s 82 counties, 29 reported unemployment rates at or below the statewide-unadjusted 4.5 percent average.

Lamar, Rankin and Union counties reported the lowest unemployment during December 2017 with 3.2 percent with Desoto County following closely behind with a rate of 3.3 percent.

Jefferson County reported the highest rate, at 11.8 percent, with Issaquena County reporting 10.2 percent.