The unemployment rate spiked in Marion County in July following two months of steady recovery. It jumped nearly 2% to 10.4%, which is the second highest unemployment rate the county has seen since 2012.
At 10.4% Marion County remains ahead of the state pace with Mississippi having an overall unemployment rate of 11.5% in July.
The county’s rate reached a new two-year low in March (4.8%) before the coronavirus pandemic caused massive layoffs and a climb to 11.4% in April. But the rate dropped back down to 8.1% in May and 8.6% in June with people returning to work as businesses reopened.
For July, Marion County had a workforce of 9,530 with 8,540 residents employed and 990 unemployed. It’s an increase across the board compared to June when the labor force was 9,220 (310 less than July) with 8,460 employed (80 less) and 760 unemployed (230 less). The increase in the labor force comes as more and more Marion County residents attempt to regain employment.
The state’s leaders in unemployment rate are Rankin (7.2%), Smith (7.6%) and Scott (8.1%) counties. However, each of their rates increased from June as well with Smith checking in at 6.1% in June, followed by Rankin at 6.3% and Scott 6.9%.
Rates for surrounding counties are:
- Lamar-8.5%
- Walthall-12.4%
- Pearl River-10.1%
- Forrest-11.8%
- Jeff Davis-13.7%
- Lawrence-12.0%
The first coronavirus case was reported in Mississippi on March 11, and Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency March 14 as businesses and schools quickly began shutting down. Reeves’ statewide shelter-in-place order that allowed only essential businesses to operate lasted from April 3 to April 27.
A “safer-at-home” order was put in place beginning April 27 and lasted until June 1 when “safe return” was enacted that allowed all businesses to open at 50% capacity. That order was extended through Aug. 3, then Aug. 4 Reeves ordered a statewide mask mandate, which remains in place today.
