Mississippi’s Employment Situation
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April 21, 2017
Jackson, MS -- Unemployment Rate Falls To Lowest Level In More Than 16 Years. This is the latest information announced today by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
Mississippi’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.0% in March, which was two-tenths of a percentage point lower than a month earlier in February 2017. The March rate is the lowest level of unemployment in Mississippi since January 2001. The March 2017 rate is a percentage point lower than a year ago in March 2016, when the rate was 6.0%.
The Labor Force, which is made up of everyone who has a job or is looking for a job, increased in March by 4,800 to 1,302,700. Over the year since March 2016, the Labor Force grew by 19,700. In March 2017 the Labor Force was the largest since October 2012.
The number of people working in Mississippi rose in March by 7,100 to 1,237,000. For the year since March 2016, employment in our state posted a healthy increase of 30,000. In March 2017 more people were working in Mississippi than at any time since March 2008.
The number of unemployed Mississippians fell in March by 2,300 to 65,700. Over the year since March 2016, the number of Mississippians without jobs fell by 11,200. In March 2017 fewer Mississippians were unemployed than at any time since July 1999.
A separate survey of employers indicated that the number of non-farm jobs declined slightly in March by 100 to 1,146,100. Over the year since March 2016, the number of non-farm jobs increased by 100.
For details or questions on this information, please contact Mary Willoughby at (601) 321-6260 or by email at: mwilloughby@mdes.ms.gov
