By Jeremy Pittari, Item Staff Writer
The Picayune Item
PEARL RIVER COUNTY —
Pearl River County’s unemployment rate was 9.8 percent for the month of February, a decrease from January’s revised rate of 10.4 percent, according to a release from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. Last year in February Pearl River County’s unemployment rate was 11.1 percent.
Statewide, seasonally adjusted unemployment rates also decreased. The release states Mississippi’s adjusted unemployment rate was 9.5 percent, a half point decrease from January’s rate of 10 percent. Nationwide, seasonally adjusted unemployment was at 8.3 percent for both January and February. Last year in February the statewide adjusted unemployment rate was 10.2 percent and the nationwide rate was 9 percent.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates take into consideration patterns such as weather, holidays, school schedules and other regularly occurring events that affect employment. Only nationwide and statewide percentages are adjusted.
Unadjusted unemployment rates for Mississippi in February are reported to be 9.5 percent, a decrease from January’s rate of 10.1 percent, the release states. Nationwide unadjusted unemployment rates decreased slightly, from 8.8 percent in January to 8.7 percent in February. Unadjusted rates for a year ago show statewide the rate was 10.6 percent and the nationwide rate was 9.5 percent in February of 2011.
February’s rates showed 23 counties reported unemployment rates at or below the state wide average of 9.5 percent. Rankin County reported an unemployment rate of 6.1 percent, and Madison County reported a rate of 6.7 percent.
Of the 82 counties in the state, six had unemployment rates more than 15 percent, with Tunica County reporting 17.4 percent and Holmes County reporting 17.2 percent.
