Mississippi’s Employment Situation
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January 23, 2018
Jackson, MS --- Unemployment Rate Falls to Historic Low and Number of Jobs Rises to Historic High. This is the latest information announced today by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
Mississippi’s unemployment rate fell in December 2017 to 4.6%, which is the lowest level of unemployment ever recorded in Mississippi.
The December rate is two-tenths of a percentage point lower than a month earlier in November and nine-tenths of a percentage point lower than a year ago in December 2016, when the rate was 5.5%.
The number of non-farm jobs in Mississippi rose by 2,900 in December to 1,162,800, which are the most jobs ever recorded in Mississippi.
Over the year since December 2016, the number of jobs in our state increased by 17,800. These numbers are based on a survey of employers. That employer survey is recognized as the most reliable indicator of job growth.
The Labor Force, which is made up of everyone who has a job or is looking for a job, decreased in December by 1,000 to 1,271,700. Over the year since December 2016, the Labor Force fell by 11,800.
The number of people working in Mississippi rose in December by 1,700 to 1,213,600. For the year since December 2016, employment in our state increased by 1,200.
The number of unemployed Mississippians fell by 2,700 in December to 58,100, which is the lowest number of Mississippians without jobs since August 1979.
Over the year since December 2016, the number of unemployed Mississippians decreased by 13,000.
For details or questions on this information, please contact Mary Willoughby at (601) 321-6260 or by email at: mwilloughby@mdes.ms.gov.
