Unemployment still down locally
Published 7:00 am Tuesday, February 19, 2019
The unemployment rate within Pearl River County was one tenth of a percentage point higher than the statewide-unadjusted average for the month of December.
Pearl River County’s unemployment rate was tied with three other counties in the state for rank of 28th out of 82 counties in Mississippi during December. All four counties had an unemployment rate of 4.8 percent.
According to information released by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, Pearl River County’s revised unemployment rate for November was 4.2 percent. In December of 2017, the unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in the county.
Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in December was 4.7 percent, the same as November’s revised rate.
In December of 2017, Mississippi’s adjusted unemployment rate was 4.8 percent.
Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in December was 3.9 percent, an increase of the previous month’s rate of 3.7 percent.
In December of last year, the nationwide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.1 percent.
Seasonally adjusted rates factor in 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 4.7 percent, increasing from November’s rate of 4.1, the report states.
Mississippi’s unadjusted rate for December 2017 was 4.4 percent.
Nationwide, the unadjusted unemployment rate for December was 3.7 percent, a slight increase from the previous month’s rate of 3.5 percent. In December of the previous year, the unadjusted unemployment rate in the United States was 3.9 percent.
Of Mississippi’s 82 counties, 27 reported unemployment rates at or below the statewide-unadjusted average of 4.7 percent.
Rankin County reported the lowest unemployment during December with 3.4 percent with Union County closely behind with a rate of 3.5 percent.
Jefferson County reported the highest rate, at 12.1 percent, with Issaquena County reporting 10.5 percent.
