The jobless rate continues to fall in Lowndes County and throughout the Golden Triangle, according to unemployment data released this week by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
Lowndes County’s rate fell by 1 percent over the past month and is 1.1 percent lower than in November 2013. There were an estimated 1,950 unemployed people in the county as of the end of November. Lowndes County had the 50th lowest jobless rate among the state’s 82 counties as of November.
In Oktibbeha County, the unemployment rate for November was 6.1 percent, a 1 percentage point decline from October and a 0.8 percent decline from November 2013. Oktibbeha County was one of 26 counties in the state whose November unemployment rate was equal to or lower than the state’s overall non-seasonally-adjusted rate of 6.4 percent. According MDES figures, there were 1,260 residents over age 16 who were unemployed in November. Oktibbeha County has the 20th lowest jobless rate among the state’s 82 counties.
Although unemployment rates decreased in both Clay and Noxubee County, the two counties still have the highest jobless rates in the state. Clay County’s 13.3-percent unemployment rate is the highest in the state while Noxubee County, with a 12.9-percent rate is the second highest. Even so, there were encouraging signs in both counties. Clay County’s rate improved by 1.8 percent from October while its rate is 3.2 percent lower than this time a year ago. Noxubee County’s jobless rate decreased by 1.2 percent from last month and is 1 percent lower than in November 2013.
Mississippi’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 8.0 percent in November 2013 to 7.3 percent this November. The U.S. seasonally-adjusted rate fell from 7.0 in November 2013 to 5.8 percent this November.
Seasonally adjusted data removes the effects of events that recur on a regular basis, including such influences as weather, holidays, opening and closing of schools and other seasonal events. Seasonally adjusted data is compiled only on the state and national level.
Mississippi’s non-seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment decreased 1,900 over the month and was 1,200 lower than one year ago. Industry sectors registering the largest monthly employment losses were leisure and hospitality and government.
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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