Unemployment in Tate County dropped for the second consecutive month in November, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Estimates from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) show local jobless numbers dipped a full percentage point from 3.9% in October to 2.9% in November. Unemployment in Tate County has rebounded sharply from the 6.8% that was posted in July and the 6.4% in November of 2020.
Tate County ranks 25th in the state unemployment and the rate of 2.9% includes 11,830 of the eligible 12,180 residents, at least 16 years of age, who were actively searching for employment in November but could not secure a job.
The county’s rate of 2.9% was slightly lower than the statewide unadjusted average of 3.0%. The unadjusted average in Mississippi for October was 3.9%. In November of 2020 the unadjusted average was 6.3%.
Mississippi’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November 2021 was 5.0%, slightly lower than October’s rate of 5.5%. In 2020, the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 6.7% in November.
Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in November was 4.2%, a slight decrease from the previous month’s percentage of 4.6. In 2020, that rate was 6.7%.
Seasonally adjusted rates take annual patterns such as weather, holidays, school schedules and other occurrences that affect employment rates into account. Only nationwide and statewide percentages are adjusted.
The Local Area Unemployment Statistics program generates monthly estimates of the state’s labor force. Statistics are a cooperative effort between the Bureau of Labor Statistics and State Employment Security agencies.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines an individual employed if they did any work at all for pay or profit during the survey week; this includes all part-time and temporary work as well as full-time year-round employment.
Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment of 1,158,900 increased 3,100 in November and 25,700 from one year ago. Industry sectors registering the largest monthly employment gains were Trade, Transportation & Utilities; Government; and Manufacturing.
For the month of November, 34 counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates less than or equal to the state’s rate of 3.0%. Rankin County posted the lowest unemployment rate for the month at 2.0%, followed by Lafayette and Union Counties at 2.1%. Jefferson County had the highest unemployment rate in November of 10.2%, followed by Humphreys County at 7.0%.
November unemployment numbers for surrounding north Mississippi counties:
• DeSoto 2.2%, down from 3.0% in October
• Lafayette 2.1%, down from 2.8% in October
• Marshall 2.9%, down from 3.9% in October
• Panola 3.9%, down from 5.0% in October
• Tunica 4.4%, down from 5.6% in October
If you are searching for employment, visit the Tate County WIN Job Center on the Northwest Mississippi Community College campus in Senatobia or call (662) 562-3351 for more information.
