Mississippi's Employment Situation
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September 21, 2018
Jackson, MS --- Number of Jobs at Historic High and Unemployment Rate Near Historic Low. This is the latest information announced today by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
In August the number of non-farm jobs in Mississippi rose by 4,000 to 1,169,500. which are the most jobs ever recorded in Mississippi.
Over the year since August 2017, the number of jobs in our state increased by 18,500. These job numbers are based on a survey of employers. This employer survey is recognized as the most reliable indicator of job growth.
Mississippi's unemployment rate in August was 4.8%, the fourth lowest level of unemployment ever recorded in Mississippi.
The August rate is the same as a month earlier in July 2018 and two-tenths of a percentage point lower than a year ago in August 2017, when the rate was 5.0%.
The Labor Force, which is made up of everyone who has a job or is looking for a job, increased in August by 2,800 to 1,287,800. Over the year since August 2017, the Labor Force rose by 9,000.
As more individuals entered the Labor Force, the number of unemployed Mississippians increased by 500 in August to 61,600; however, over the year since August 2017, the number of unemployed Mississippians decreased by 2,200.
The number of people working in Mississippi rose in August by 2,300 to 1,226,200, which is the highest number of Mississippians with jobs since May 2008.
For the year since August 2017, employment in our state increased by 11,200.
For details or questions on this information, please contact Mary Willoughby at: 601) 321-6260 or by email at: mwilloughby@mdes.ms.gov.
