County’s Jobless Rate Rises, Follows Statewide Trend

Staff Report

WATER VALLEY – Yalobusha County’s unemployment rate went up just over half a point rising from 12.9 percent in September to 13.6 percent in October.

The October rate mirrored a similar rise in the overall rate in Mississippi that went from 8.8 percent last month to the current 9.5 percent, according to the latest figures from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.

The five surrounding counties showed similar increases except for Calhoun County where the rate went up just over 2.5 percent.

The number of unemployed persons in the county was 750 in October. That compares to 720 the previous month and 540 a year ago when unemployment was 9.7 percent.

The number of employed persons in the county was 4750, which is 40 less than in September. The total labor force is shown at 5500, down from 5510 last month.

The average unemployment rate in October for the preceding five years is 8.2 percent.

Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for October was 9.5 percent, increasing from the previous month’s rate of 8.9 percent. When compared to the October 2008 rate of 6.9 percent, the rate increased 2.6 percentage points.

The Nation’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for October 2009 was unchanged over the month at 9.5 percent but was 3.4 percentage points higher than the year ago rate of 6.1 percent.

For the month of October 2009, only twenty counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates less than or equal to the state’s rate of 9.5 percent. Unemployment rates increased over the month in all but five counties. Rankin County posted the lowest unemployment rate for the month of October at 6.3 percent followed by Scott County at 6.7 percent.

Fifty-five counties reported double-digit rates for the month with six counties reporting rates greater than or equal to 15.0 percent. Clay County at 19.0 percent had the highest unemployment rate for October.