Local unemployment rates remain flat after a June hike, coinciding with state and national levels, according to the latest labor market report by the Mississippi Department of Employment and Security.
Jobless rates in Lowndes, Clay and Noxubee counties all improved 0.1 percent over the last month while Oktibbeha saw no change from 4.9 percent in June.
Compared to a year ago, the largest drops were in Clay and Noxubee, which currently sit at 5.1 and 7.2 percent, respectively. Lowndes fell 2.2 percent to 4.6 and Oktibbeha dropped by 2 percent.
On the state and national level, Mississippi fell 0.1 percent in July from 4.5 in June and the nation remained at 3.8. Both state and national rates show an average 2-percent drop compared to a year ago when they were at 6.4 and 5.7 percent.
The number of unemployed people in Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties fell to 1,170 and 1,100 in July, bringing the total number down by 20 in the Golden Triangle. Clay and Noxubee saw no change last month. Across all four counties there are 2,960 people unemployed, showing more than a 25 percent drop from July 2021 when it was 4,250.
There are currently 56,600 unemployed people in the state. Across the nation, there are 6,255,000 unemployed compared to 9,221,000 in July 2021.
MDES Chief Economist Mary Willoughby told The Dispatch that unemployment rates have been hitting record lows over the last 10 months as compared to state averages in 2020 and 2021. In July 2020, the state rate was 9.2 percent, then decreased to 6.4 percent in 2021, now resting at 4.4 percent.
Willoughby also said that businesses reopening during the later stages of the pandemic contributed to the falling rate.
“I think us being open back up for business after the pandemic sooner than some of the other states really helped us,” Willoughby said.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 29 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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