By Jeremy Pittari, Item Staff Writer
The Picayune Item
PICAYUNE —
Unemployment in Pearl River County fell by more than one and a half percentage points between July and August.
According to information from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, Pearl River County’s unemployment rate in August was 8.6 percent, a decrease from July’s rate of 10.2 percent.
A year ago in August the unemployment rate in Pearl River County was 11.1 percent.
Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 9.1 percent, the same percentage reported for the month of July. However, August’s adjusted unemployment rate this year is less than the rate a year ago, 10.9 percent.
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate nationwide for August was 8.1 percent, a slight decrease from July’s rate of 8.3 percent. In August of 2011 the adjusted unemployment rate was 9.1 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.
Unadjusted rates show Mississippi had an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent, a decrease of July’s rate of 10.1 percent. A year ago the unadjusted rate in August was 10.7 percent.
Nationwide unadjusted rates show an unemployment was 8.2 percent, also a decrease from July’s rate of 8.6 percent. In August of 2011 the nationwide unadjusted unemployment rate was 9.1 percent.
Twenty-six counties in Mississippi reported unemployment rates equal to or less than the statewide average of 8.5 percent unemployment, the release states. Four counties had unemployment rates greater than 15 percent, but every county in the state still showed a decrease.
The counties with the lowest rate of unemployment were Rankin County with 5 percent, and Madison County with 5.8 percent.
Clay County had the highest rate of unemployment during August, 16.4 percent. Jefferson and Holmes Counties reported unemployment rates of 16.2 percent. The release states a decrease in unemployment is noted annually between the months of July and August due to students leaving employment to go back to their schooling.
