The unemployment rate decreased between the months of September and October in Pearl River County.

Pearl River County’s unemployment rate was ranked 28th out of 82 counties in Mississippi during October.

According to information released by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, the unemployment rate in Pearl River County during the month of October was 4.5 percent, a decrease from September’s revised rate of 4.9 percent. In October of 2016, the unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in the county.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in October was 4.9 percent, a slight decrease from September’s revised rate of 5.2 percent.

According to the release, this is the second month this year where the seasonally adjusted rate was less than 5 percent since the state began recording those rates in 1976. The same occurred during the month of May, when the rate was also 4.9 percent.

In October of 2016, Mississippi’s adjusted unemployment rate was 5.2 percent.

Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in October was 4.1 percent, also a slight decrease from the previous month’s rate of 4.2 percent.

In October of last year, the nationwide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.8 percent.

Seasonally adjusted rates take into account annual patterns such as weather, holidays, school schedules and other occurrences that affect employment rates. Only nationwide and statewide percentages are adjusted.

Mississippi’s unadjusted rate for October was 4.4 percent, a decrease from September’s rate of 4.7 percent, the report states.

Mississippi’s unadjusted rate for October 2016 was 5.7 percent.

Nationwide, the unadjusted unemployment rate for October was 3.9 percent, a slight decrease from the previous month’s rate of 4.1. In October of the previous year, the unadjusted unemployment rate in the United States was 4.7 percent.

Of Mississippi’s 82 counties, 27 reported unemployment rates at or below the statewide-unadjusted 4.9 percent average.

Rankin County, Lamar County and Union County reported the lowest unemployment with 3.3 percent.  Desoto and Madison counties followed with a rate of 3.4 percent.

Jefferson County reported the highest rate, at 10.3 percent, with Issaquena County’s 8.6 percent following behind.