(The Center Square) – Federal data shows Mississippi’s unemployment rate remained at a record low 2.8% in June for the third consecutive month.

That is an improvement over June 2023, when the rate was 3.1%. The national unemployment rate in June was 4.1%. 

The number of unemployed grew from 35,600 to 47,100. Initial unemployment claims were down from 6,338 in May to 5,652 in June. Continuing claims increased from 27,799 in May to 37,506 in June, as benefits paid grew from $4.06 million in May to nearly $5 million in June. 

The state’s labor force participation rate also climbed for a third month, improving slightly from 53.8% in May to 54% in June. That trails the national average of 62.6%, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In June, there were nearly 1.19 million jobs in Mississippi, with a decrease of 3,000 nonfarm positions in June, but a gain of 7,300 jobs for the year so far. According to data from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, the private education and health care services sector had the largest job losses in June. 

Thirty-one counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates either less than or equal to the state’s unadjusted rate of 3.7%, which was lower than the national average (4.3%).

Union County was 2.5% and followed by Rankin County (2.7%) and Lafayette County in northern Mississippi (2.8%).

The highest unemployment rate was in Jefferson County in southwest Mississippi at 14.9%, followed by neighboring Claiborne County at 9.3% and tiny Issaquena County at 8.6%. 

Among the state’s most populated counties, DeSoto County in the Memphis metro area had an unadjusted rate of 3.4%. In the Jackson metro, Madison County was at 3% while Hinds County was at 3.7%.

In Hattiesburg, Lamar County had an unadjusted rate of 3% while Forrest was at 3.5%. 

In the three-county coastal region, Harrison County was 3.4% with neighboring counties Jackson and Hancock each 3.8%. 

According to the monthly report, “historically, Mississippi’s unemployment rate has increased from May to June as the full impact of students entering the labor force occurs.” The seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate grew from 2.9% in May to 3.7% in June.