Unemployment in Pearl River County fell more than a full point between February and March of this year.

According to information published in a Mississippi Department of Employment Security release, unemployment in the county was 8.2 percent for the month of March, a decrease of more than a full percentage point from February’s rate of 9.8 percent.

In March of last year the unemployment rate was 9 percent, the release states.

Statewide the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Mississippi for March was 9.4 percent, also a decrease from the previous month’s rate of 9.6 percent. In March of last year the rate was 9 percent.

Nationwide the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in March was 7.6 percent, a decrease from the previous month’s rate of 7.7 percent.

A year ago the nationwide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.2 percent.

Seasonally adjusted rates take into consideration patterns such as weather, holidays, school schedules and other regularly occurring events that contribute to employment rates. Only nationwide and statewide percentages are adjusted.

The unadjusted rate for the state of Mississippi in the month of March was 8.7 percent, the release states. February’s unadjusted rate was 9.9 percent.

Last year’s unadjusted rate for Mississippi in March was 8.8 percent.

Nationwide the unadjusted unemployment rate was 7.6 percent. That figure is a decrease from February’s rate of 8.1 percent. In March of 2012 the unadjusted unemployment rate was 8.4 percent.

Of Mississippi’s 82 counties 26 reported rates less than the statewide average. Rankin County had the best rate with 5.1 percent, with Madison reporting 6.2 percent.

Clay County reported the highest rate at 18.2 percent and Holmes County reported 17 percent.