Pearl River County’s unemployment rate in February of this year increased slightly to 6.6 percent when compared to the previous month’s rate of 6.4 percent, ranking the county 38th out of 82 counties in Mississippi. The prior year in February, Pearl River County’s unemployment rate was 4.8 percent.

Pearl River County’s rate for the month of February is slightly higher than the statewide unadjusted average of 6.1 percent. The unadjusted average in Mississippi for January was 6.2 percent. In February of 2020 the unadjusted average was 5.3 percent.

Mississippi’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February of this year was 6.3 percent, a slight decrease from January’s rate of 6.4 percent. A year ago the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 5.8 percent.

Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in February was 6.2 percent, a decrease from the previous month’s percentage of 6.3. A year prior that rate was 3.5 percent.

The unadjusted nationwide average was 6.6 percent, a decrease from January’s rate of 6.8 but was higher than the rate in February of 2020 of 3.8. percent.

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

During the month of February, 32 of Mississippi’s 82 counties reported unemployment rates at or below the statewide unadjusted average of 6.1 percent.

Rankin County reported the lowest unemployment rate during February of 3.9 percent with Lafayette County reporting a rate of 4.3 percent.

Jefferson County reported the highest rate, at 15.5 percent, with Humphreys County reporting a rate of 14.1 percent.