Jobless Numbers Are In

By: The Daily Journal

UNDATED, Miss. -After two months of unemployment below 10 percent, Northeast Mississippi crossed the threshold again in June, according to figures provided by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.

June’s jobless rate for the 16-county region reached 10.4 percent, after hitting 9.7 percent a month earlier.

The rate in June of last year was 10.3 percent.

That state’s unemployment rate in June was 9 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis, while the U.S. average was 7.6 percent

It should be noted county figures are not seasonally adjusted, which means the numbers don’t show the effects of regular or seasonal patterns like school and holidays.

State and national figures are based on seasonally adjusted data.

On a nonadjusted basis, the state’s jobless rate in June was 9.7 percent while the U.S. rate was 7.3 percent.

In June, the unemployment rates were higher from a month earlier in 13 of Northeast Mississippi’s 16 counties.

Only Alcorn, Itawamba and Lafayette counties posted lower rates.

Lafayette County had the region’s lowest rate – and the 11th lowest statewide – at 8.2 percent. Alcorn (8.8), Pontotoc (8.9) and Itawamba (9.8) were the only counties in the region with unemployment under 10 percent.

Clay County’s 20.1 percent rate was the highest in the state.

Initial unemployment claims in the state fell from 16,224 in May to 10,514 last month. Continuing claims grew from 97,411 to 115,550. Benefits paid out totaled more than $14.9 million with an average weekly benefit of $185.83.