The unemployment rate decreased by a marginal percentage point between the months of March and April in Pearl River County.
Pearl River County’s unemployment rate was ranked 39th out of 82 counties in Mississippi during April.
According to information released by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, Pearl River County’s unemployment rate for April was 4.6 percent, which is a decrease of five tenths of a percentage point from March’s revised rate of 5.1 percent. In April of 2016, the unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in the county.
Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in April was 5 percent, a decrease from March’s revised rate of 5.1 percent. In April of 2016, Mississippi’s adjusted unemployment rate was 6 percent.
Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in April was 4.4 percent, a slight decrease from previous the month’s rate of 4.5 percent.
A year ago in April, the nationwide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6 percent.
The release states that available Mississippi’s civilian labor force, defined as those who have or are seeking employment, increased by 3,500 between the months of March and April.
Seasonally adjusted rates factor in 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 April was 4.3 percent, a decrease from the previous month’s rate of 4.6 percent, the report states.
Mississippi’s unadjusted rate for April 2016 was 5.2 percent.
Nationwide, the unadjusted unemployment rate for April was 4.1 percent, reflecting a decrease from previous month’s rate of 4.6. In April of the previous year, the unadjusted unemployment rate in the United States was 4.7 percent.
Of Mississippi’s 82 counties, 36 reported unemployment rates at or below the statewide-unadjusted average.
Rankin County and Union County reported the lowest unemployment with 3 percent. DeSoto and Lamar counties also reported a low unemployment rate, 3.2 percent.
Issaquena County reported the highest unemployment for April at 11.1 percent followed by Jefferson County at 11 percent.
Sectors reporting the most employment increases during April included leisure and hospitality, trade, transportation and utilities, and professional and business services.