Kemper County’s unemployment rate drops to 4.3 percent
Kemper County’s unemployment rate dropped to the lowest percentage in nearly 31 years when it was recorded at 4.3 percent for November, according to figures from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
The previous low mark recorded since 1990 was 5.4 percent in November of 1996.
The November unemployment rate was 1.3 percentage points lower when compared to the previous month’s rate of 5.7 percentage.
The unemployment rate represents the number of unemployed as a percent of the civilian labor force for the county. There were 140 unemployed people during November, which was 40 less than the previous month. Kemper County’s labor force in November stood at 3250 people, about the same as the previous month.
Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November 2021 was 3.0 percent, decreasing nine-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month’s rate of 3.9 percent. When compared to the November 2020 rate of 6.3 percent, the rate decreased 3.3 percentage points.
The number of unemployed decreased 11,600 over the month, while the employed total increased 6,100 from the prior month. The nation’s unemployment rate for November 2021 at 3.9 percent, decreased four-tenths of a percentage point over the month and was 2.5 percentage points lower than the year ago rate of 6.4 percent.
Mississippi’s nonfarm employment at 1,158,900 increased 3,100 over the month and 25,700 from one year ago. The industry sectors registering the largest monthly employment gains were trade, transportation and utilities; government and manufacturing.
For the month of November 2021, 34 counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates less than or equal to the state’s rate of 3.0 percent. Rankin County posted the lowest unemployment rate for the month of November at 2.0 percent followed by Lafayette and Union Counties at 2.1 percent. Jefferson County had the highest unemployment rate for November at 10.2 percent followed by Humphreys County at 7.0 percent.