Unemployment rate increases

Kemper County’s unemployment rate went up six-tenths of a point during March according to numbers from the Mississippi Employment Security Commission.

Kemper County’s rate stood at 7.9 percent during March, up from 7.3 percent in February. Unemployment stood at 8.5 percent in March 2020.

Kemper County’s labor force in March was at 3,440 people. Of that, 270 people were out of work.

Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March 2021 was 6.3 percent, an increase of two-tenths of a percentage point over the month and one-tenth of a percentage point over the year.

The estimated number of unemployed increased 1,900 over the month, while the employed total decreased 4,500 from the prior month. The Nation’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March 2021 at 6.2 percent decreased four-tenths of a percentage point over the month but increased 1.7 percentages point over the year.

Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment increased 5,500 over the month to 1,118,900. When compared to one year ago the number of nonfarm jobs decreased 34,100.

Industry sectors registering the largest monthly employment gains were Professional & Business Services, and Construction.

For the month of March 2021, 33 counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates less than or equal to the state’s rate of 6.3 percent. Rankin County posted the lowest unemployment rate for the month of March at 3.9 percent followed by Lafayette and Lamar Counties at 4.5 percent. Jefferson County had the highest unemployment rate for March at 16.7 percent followed by Humphreys County at 14.0 percent.