JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Mississippi employer payrolls continued their march into record territory in September, as the state’s unemployment rate stayed steady.
The number of people on payrolls - economists’ top labor market indicator - grew to a record 1.17 million in September, up barely from August’s previous record. That’s 20,000 jobs above September 2017.
Mississippi’s jobless rate was flat at 4.8 percent for the third straight month, with the labor force growing as fast as additional people found jobs. Mississippi’s September 2017 jobless rate was 4.9 percent. The number of unemployed Mississippians was level at about 62,000.
August’s U.S. unemployment rate fell to 3.7 percent in September from 3.9 percent in August. Mississippi has the fourth-highest jobless rate among states.
The U.S. Labor Department released figures Friday, adjusted to cancel out seasonal changes.
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