Pearl River County’s unemployment rate dropped by a half a point in December, as reflected in figures provided by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.

During the month of December Pearl River County’s unemployment rate was 9.6 percent, a drop from the previous month’s rate of 10.1 percent.

According to a press release from the MDES the state-wide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December 2010 was 10.1 percent. That figure reflects a small increase in statewide unemployment from November’s rate of 10 percent. Figures recorded in Dec. 2009 show the unemployment rate was 10.5 percent.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased in December to 9.4 percent. November’s unemployment rate was 9.8 percent. December’s unemployment rate was five-tenths of a percentage point less than last year’s rate of 9.9 percent, the release states.

Seasonally adjusted data removes the effects of events that follow a more or less regular pattern each year such as the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events. These adjustments make it easier to observe the cyclical and other non-seasonal movements in a data series and are only adjusted at the National and State levels.

Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December 2010 was 9.7 percent, a decrease from November’s rate of 10.1 percent, the release states. That number is also a decrease from December 2009’s rate of 10.4 percent. The number of unemployed decreased by 5,100 over the month, while the number of employed increased by 6,800 from the prior month.

The Nation’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December 2010 was 9.1 percent, which is a decrease from November’s 9.7 percent. Results from Mississippi’s nonfarm employment survey, which is counted by the location of establishments, reported a not seasonally adjusted employment increase of 700 over the month, and an increase of 3,600 from one year ago.

Trade, Transportation & Utilities registered the largest monthly employment gain, while Leisure & Hospitality registered the largest monthly employment drop. For the month of December 2010, only 21 counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates less than or equal to the state’s rate of 9.7 percent. Rankin County posted the lowest unemployment rate for the month of December at 6.0 percent followed by Madison County at 6.7 percent. Seven counties reported rates greater than 15.0 percent. Noxubee County had the highest unemployment rate for December at 19.2 percent followed by Holmes County at 18.7 percent.