Unemployment continues to grow in Kemper County

By STEVE SWOGETINSKY

Kemper Messenger



Kemper County's unemployment rate continued to inch up during the month of November 2019, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Securities

Kemper County's unemployment rate for November 2019 stood at 8.8 percent, up from 7.9 percent in October. Unemployment stood at 7.1 percent in November 2018.

According to the department's publication, Kemper County workforce pool (people 16-year-old and over) stood at 3,390 in November. Of that number, 300 were unemployed.

Unemployment in the United States stands at 3.3 percent.

Unemployment numbers also grew ub area counties. Here is a look at the unemployment numbers for area counties:

Mississippi's not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November 2019 increased three-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month's rate of 5.2 percent.

When compared to the November 2018 rate of 4.2 percent, the rate increased 1.3 percentage points. The number of unemployed increased 3,500 over the month, while the employed total decreased 3,100 from the prior month.

The Nation's not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November 2019 at 3.3 percent was unchanged over the month, and was two-tenths of a percentage point lower than the year ago rate of 3.5 percent.

Mississippi's not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased 3,500 over the month and 7,700 from one year ago.

For the month of November 2019, 26 counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates less than or equal to the state's rate of 5.5 percent. Lamar and Rankin counties posted the lowest unemployment rate for the month of November at 4.0 percent followed by Lafayette County at 4.2 percent. Jefferson County had the highest unemployment rate for November at 15.6 percent followed by Claiborne County at 10.6 percent.