Mississippi unemployment rate jumps to 10.5 percent

Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted unemploy- ment rate for July 2009 was 10.5 percent, increasing
over the previous month’s rate of 9.9 percent. When compared to the July 2008 rate of 8.0 percent,
the rate increased over two percentage points. The number of unemployed increased 8,100 over the
month while the employed total decreased 6,900 from the prior month. The Nation’s not seasonally
adjusted unemployment rate for July 2009 remained unchanged over the month at 9.7 percent but was
almost four percentage points higher than the year ago rate of 6.0 percent.
Results from Mississippi’s nonfarm employment survey, which is counted by the location of
establishments, reported a not seasonally adjusted decrease of 14,300 in employment over the month
and a decrease of 19,100 from one year ago. Industry sectors registering the largest monthly
employment losses were Government; and Trade, Transportation & Utilities.
For the month of July 2009, only twenty-four counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates less

than or equal to the state’s rate of 10.5 percent. Rankin County posted the lowest unemployment rate
for the month of July at 6.5 percent followed by Lamar County at 7.7 percent. Sixty-one counties
reported double-digit rates for the month with nine counties reporting rates greater than 15.0 percent.
Three counties posted unemployment rates greater than 20.0 percent with Jefferson County having
the highest rate at 21.0 percent.

Look for Monday’s Mississippi Business Journal print edition for a complete breakdown of the numbers.