April Mississippi jobless rate falls as labor force dips

JACKSON — Mississippi’s jobless rate dropped in April, mainly because fewer people are looking for jobs.

The state’s unemployment rate fell to 8.7 percent in April from 9 percent in March, according to seasonally adjusted figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s the lowest level since March 2009, and significantly below the state’s 10.6 percent jobless rate in April 2011.

The number of unemployed Mississippians fell to 116,300, down from 120,800 in March and from 141,600 a year ago.

A separate survey of employer payrolls shows that the number of nonfarm employees in the state rose only slightly from a month ago and fell slightly from April 2011.

Mississippi tied with Florida for the eighth-highest jobless rate among states. Last month, Mississippi tied for the fifth-highest rate.