Counties with the highest unemployment in Mississippi
In November, the national unemployment rate changed very little from October, rising from 4.1% to 4.2%. It's been slightly elevated in recent months compared to levels a year ago—likely a symptom of the Federal Reserve's higher interest rates, which can slow hiring and decrease job openings. It's up from 3.7% the year before, but for comparison, unemployment rates surged to 10% in October 2009 during the Great Recession, and a full recovery took years. At the height of the brief COVID-19 recession in April 2020, unemployment hit 14.7%.
To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Mississippi using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in October 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Despite the slight uptick in unemployment, the labor market added 227,000 jobs in November, according to the BLS.
In the private sector, employment increased by 146,000 jobs, with 50,000 jobs added in education and health services and another 28,000 jobs in trade, transportation, and utilities, according to ADP's National Employment Report. While Sun Belt states saw growth in manufacturing roles, other jobs diminished in the sector across the Rust Belt, which continues to see losses.
The labor market forecast for 2025 is still somewhat uncertain. The reelection of Donald Trump and his proposal to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico may send ripples throughout the economy. A tariff increase could create an inflationary environment, shifting the labor market as inflation inches toward the 2% goal.
To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Mississippi.
#25. Marshall County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,051 people (502 unemployed)
#24. Amite County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 4,297 people (157 unemployed)
#23. Walthall County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,921 people (184 unemployed)
#22. Franklin County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,692 people (103 unemployed)
#21. Carroll County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 3,101 people (118 unemployed)
#20. Tunica County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,122 people (156 unemployed)
#19. Pike County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 14,128 people (536 unemployed)
#18. Panola County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,337 people (475 unemployed)
#17. Adams County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,579 people (423 unemployed)
#16. Jefferson Davis County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,998 people (162 unemployed)
#15. Chickasaw County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,036 people (257 unemployed)
#14. Kemper County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,187 people (139 unemployed)
#13. Quitman County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,278 people (103 unemployed)
#12. Sunflower County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,790 people (347 unemployed)
#11. Wilkinson County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,541 people (120 unemployed)
#10. Noxubee County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,375 people (167 unemployed)
#9. Washington County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,188 people (689 unemployed)
#8. Coahoma County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,497 people (374 unemployed)
#7. Leflore County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,786 people (436 unemployed)
#6. Sharkey County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,128 people (57 unemployed)
#5. Holmes County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,107 people (285 unemployed)
#4. Issaquena County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 300 people (19 unemployed)
#3. Humphreys County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,881 people (118 unemployed)
#2. Claiborne County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,858 people (185 unemployed)
#1. Jefferson County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 2.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 2.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,780 people (171 unemployed)
This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
