Mississippi’s Employment Situation
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June 17, 2016
Jackson, MS -- Unemployment Rate Falls To The Lowest Level In More Than Twelve Years. This is the latest information announced today by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
Mississippi’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell again in May to 5.8 percent. The May rate is the lowest level of unemployment in Mississippi since March 2004, when the unemployment rate was also 5.8 percent. The May 2016 rate is two-tenths of a percentage point lower than a month earlier in April 2016 when the rate was 6.0 percent and sixth-tenths of a percentage point lower than a year ago in May 2015 when the rate was 6.4 percent.
Along with the drop in the unemployment rate, the number of unemployed Mississippians declined again in May to 75,200. The May figure is the lowest number of unemployed individuals in our state since February 2004. The May 2016 number of unemployed Mississippians is 2,700 lower than a month earlier in April 2016 when the number was 77,900 and 6,300 lower than a year ago in May 2015 when the number was 81,500.
The number of people working in Mississippi declined in May by 5,300 to 1,213,500; however, for the year since May 2015, employment in our state posted an increase of 28,600.
The Labor Force, which is made up of everyone who has a job or is looking for a job, fell in May by 8,000 to 1,288,700; however, over the year since May 2015, the Labor Force increased by 22,300 as more Mississippians got jobs or started seeking employment.
A separate survey of Mississippi employers indicated that the number of jobs declined in May by 2,200 to 1,141,900; however, in the year since May 2015, the number of jobs increased by 9,500.
For details or questions on this information, please contact Mary Willoughby at (601) 321-6260 or by email at: mwilloughby@mdes.ms.gov.
