Cities’ unemployment rates soar

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — Unemployment rates were higher in November than a year earlier in all 372 metropolitan areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports.

Seventeen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15 percent, while 13 areas registered rates below 5 percent.

The national unemployment rate in November was 9.4 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 6.5 percent a year earlier.

In November, 125 metropolitan areas reported jobless rates of at least 10 percent, up from 21 areas a year earlier, while 80 areas posted rates below 7 percent, down from 255 areas in Nov. 2008.

In Mississippi, Pascagoula had the highest unemployment rate in November at 8.6 percent. Gulfport-Biloxi reported a rate of 7.7 percent. Hattiesburg saw a rate of 7.7 percent while Jackson showed a jobless rate of 7.5 percent. Compared to Nov. 2008, Pascagoula’s rate is up by 2.3 percent, followed by Gulfport-Biloxi (up 2 percent) and Hattiesburg and Jackson (both up 1.8 percent).