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Summer slump hits the local job market
Published 8:00 am Monday, August 25, 2025
The summer slump has hit the job market locally, or at least the ones looking to enter it.
Lincoln County’s unemployment numbers have climbed from 550 in May and 660 in June to 680 for the month of July. Those would-be workers make up 4.7 percent of the county’s 14,0-strong work force. The percentage is up from 4.5 in June and 3.8 in May.
Though the work force increased by 10 from June, it is down 580 from May. One year ago, Lincoln had 590 people out of work, making up 4 percent of a work force of 14,650.
The average unemployment rate over the previous 12 months was 3.8 percent, or 560 workers, from an average 14,570-strong work force.
Thirty-six counties posted unemployment percentages equal to or less than the state average or 4.6. The smallest rate was 3.2 in Rankin County, where it typically remains, and largest in Jefferson County, 13 percent, also typical.
Counties bordering Lincoln had higher unemployment rates, with one exception. Lawrence County had 4.6 percent. Others were: Copiah, 4.8; Franklin and Amite, 5.8; Pike and Walthall, 4.9; and Jefferson, 13.
Rankin County’s 3.2 percent represents 2,650 unemployed people from a workforce of 82,150. Jefferson County’s 13 percent is just 320 people, but the work force is a mere 2,460 — fewer than the number out of work in Rankin.
Hinds County has the highest population of any Mississippi county (211,975 as of July) and the largest labor force, 99,800. Its 4.6 percent of unemployment represents 4,550 people.
Overall, Mississippi had 58,908 people out of work (4.6 percent) from a labor force of 1,294,424. It was virtually unchanged from 4.5 percent in June, or 57,845 out of work from 1,288,802.
The national unemployment rate in July was also 4.6 percent — 7.847 million people from 171.646 million in the work force.
Labor data
Monthly estimates of the labor force, employment, unemployment and the unemployment rate are generated by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program, a cooperative program between the Bureau of Labor Statistics and State Employment Security Agencies.
Statistics on the employment status of the population and related data are compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a monthly survey of households conducted by the US Census Bureau. It is a scientifically selected survey designed to represent the civilian non-institutional population of the United States.
Households selected are interviewed to obtain information about the employment status of each member of the household 16 years of age and older. The inquiry relates to employment activity or status during the calendar week, Sunday through Saturday, which includes the 12th day of the month. This week is known as the reference week.
The survey is designed so that each person who is over the age of 16 and who is not in an institution such as prison or mental hospital or on active duty with the Armed Forces is only counted and classified in one group; employed, unemployed or not in the labor force.
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. Unemployed individuals are those who do not have a job, have actively looked for work during the past four weeks and are currently available for work. The sum of employed and unemployed produces the Civilian Labor Force.
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