(The Center Square) — The states of Alabama and Mississippi both reported record unemployment rates for April on Friday.
Alabama had an all-time low unemployment rate of 2.5%, while Mississippi reported 3.4%. The national average was 3.4% in April, down 0.1% from March.
Gov. Tate Reeves, who is running for reelection in November, said record low unemployment rates in back-to-back months speaks volumes about Mississippi’s momentum. According to data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 41,900 unemployed in the Magnolia State, down from 44,000 jobless in March. Mississippi’s unemployment rate in April 2022 was 3.7%.
“Our education system is thriving, jobs are plentiful, and there are more opportunities than ever before,” Reeves said in a news release. “We’re making historic investments in workforce development and infrastructure and are attracting thousands of high-paying jobs to every region of the state. It’s a great day to be a Mississippian.”
According to Alabama data, the state has 51,462 unemployed, a record low, compared to 53,017 in March and 57,712 in April 2022.
“Yet again, we see the resiliency of our state’s workforce,” Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a news release. “When Alabama works, Alabama families thrive and records are broken time and time again. We have a quick growing economy, and we are leading the game when it comes to economic success. Boasting the lowest unemployment rate in the Southeast, Alabama is well on its way to having the lowest unemployment rate in the nation.”
Both states’ labor force participation rates still lag behind the national average of 62.6%, but their rates improved slightly in April. Labor force participation rate is defined as the percentage of the population either working or actively looking for work.
Mississippi’s labor rate for April, according data from to the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, was 54.5%, up 0.5% from March.
Alabama’s labor force rate according to the St. Louis Fed was 56.8%, up 0.1% from March.
