Pearl River County’s unemployment rate in April of this year increased slightly to 6.1 percent when compared to the previous month’s rate of 6 percent, ranking the county 38th out of 82 counties in Mississippi. The prior year in April, Pearl River County’s unemployment rate was 12.1 percent.

Pearl River County’s rate for the month of April is slightly lower than the statewide unadjusted average of 5.8 percent. The unadjusted average in Mississippi for March was 6.2 percent. In April of 2020 the unadjusted average was 15.4 percent.

Mississippi’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April of this year was 6.2 percent, the same as March’s rate. A year ago the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 15.7 percent.

Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in April was 6.1 percent, a slight increase from the previous month’s percentage of 6. A year prior that rate was 14.8 percent.

The unadjusted nationwide average was 5.7 percent, a decrease from March’s rate of 6.2 but was lower than the rate in April of 2020 of 14.4 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 April, 32 of Mississippi’s 82 counties reported unemployment rates at or below the statewide unadjusted average of 5.8 percent.

Rankin County reported the lowest unemployment rate during April of 3.7 percent with Lamar County reporting a rate of 4.2 percent.

Jefferson County reported the highest rate, at 16 percent, with Humphreys County reporting a rate of 12.7 percent.