WASHINGTON: The unemployment rate increased between the months of April and May in Pearl River County. Pearl River County’s unemployment rate was ranked 33rd out of 82 counties in Mississippi during May. According to information released by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, Pearl River County’s unemployment rate for May was 5.6 percent, an increase from April’s revised rate of 4.6 percent. In May of 2016, the unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in the county. Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May was 4.9 percent, a slight increase from April’s revised rate of 5 percent.
In May of 2016, Mississippi’s adjusted unemployment rate was 5.9 percent. Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May was 4.3 percent, a slight decrease from previous the month’s rate of 4.4 percent. A year ago in May, the nationwide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.7 percent. Seasonally adjusted rates factor in patterns such as weather, holidays, school schedules and other occurrences that affect employment rates. Only nationwide and statewide percentages are adjusted.
Mississippi’s unadjusted rate for May was 5.3 percent, a decrease from the previous month’s rate of 4.3 percent, the report states. Mississippi’s unadjusted rate for May 2016 was 5.9 percent. Nationwide, the unadjusted unemployment rate for May was 4.1 percent, holding steady with the previous month’s rate. In May of the previous year, the unadjusted unemployment rate in the United States was 4.5 percent. Of Mississippi’s 82 counties, 29 reported unemployment rates at or below the statewide-unadjusted average. Rankin County and Union County reported the lowest unemployment with 3.9 and 4 percent respectively. Issaquena County reported the highest unemployment for May at 12.8 percent followed by Jefferson County at 12.6 percent. No job sectors displayed noteworthy employment losses or gains during the month.
