JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi’s unemployment rate fell to the lowest level since May 2001 in February, while payrolls rose slightly.
The jobless rate fell to 5.2 percent from 5.5 percent in January. That’s also below February 2016’s rate of 6.1 percent. People reporting having jobs grew faster than the number of people entering the workforce, dropping the number of unemployed Mississippians to 68,000.
Payrolls rose by 1,000 to 1.15 million. That separate survey - many economists’ top labor market indicator - was slightly above January 2016 levels.
Mississippi’s jobless rate is tied with West Virginia for ninth-highest among states, with New Mexico worst at 6.8 percent. The nationwide rate fell to 4.7 percent in February from January’s 4.8 percent.
The U.S. Labor Department released the figures Friday, adjusted to cancel out seasonal changes.
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