The release of unemployment numbers from August show improvement both overall throughout the state and in the county.
The state saw a decrease from 11.5% in July to 7.9% in August, a 3.4% drop. Marion County also had a good decrease of 2.5% from 10.4% in July to matching the state’s August number of 7.9%.
In line with those numbers, the employed workforce in the county for August increased to 8,790, compared to 8,540 in July, an increase of 250. Unemployed dropped by 240 from 990 in July to 750 in August.
With schools starting back in August, more people have been able to find work. Schools have been closed since the middle of March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The number of cases have been slowly dropping allowing for more and, businesses to reopen.
Regarding the surrounding counties, each one saw a decrease in unemployment from July:
- Lamar fell to 5.9% from 8.5%;
- Walthall decreased from 12.4% to 9.5%;
- Pearl River dropped to 7.9% from 10.1%;
- Forrest saw a reduction from 11.8% to 8.2%;
- Jeff Davis fell from 13.7% to 10.2%;
- Lawrence saw a decrease to 9.7% from 12%.
- Lamar County currently has one of the lowest rates in the state, with Rankin County being the lowest at 4.7%.
