Despite a relatively low unemployment rate, the fear of job losses remains amid ongoing economic uncertainty.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Mississippi using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in May 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Economists forecast a waning risk of recession and predict that the U.S. may instead be headed for an incremental slowdown in growth known as a “ soft landing .” Still, layoffs among major U.S. employers like Amazon to Tesla have sparked concern among Americans. What’s more, unemployment has spiked in nearly half the country’s states, which often indicates a looming recession , a chief global economist at Piper Sandler told Business Insider. And with sky-high prices after a period of record inflation, savings and unemployment payments may not cover basic expenses for jobless Americans for long.

For comparison, the Great Recession of 2007-09 sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years. At the height of the COVID-19 recession in April 2020, unemployment hit 14.7%.

Still, as of June 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 4.1%, with little change from the previous month. Regional and state employment range widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state vary, ranging from just 2% in the Dakotas to 5.3% in Washington D.C.

Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Mississippi.

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#50. Grenada County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,177 people (238 unemployed)

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#49. Marion County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,159 people (291 unemployed)

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#48. Hancock County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 19,200 people (561 unemployed)

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#47. Montgomery County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,777 people (114 unemployed)

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#46. Lowndes County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 24,628 people (733 unemployed)

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#45. Lauderdale County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 28,162 people (839 unemployed)

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#44. Jackson County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 59,656 people (1,760 unemployed)

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#43. Tunica County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,019 people (123 unemployed)

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#42. Tate County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,766 people (361 unemployed)

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#41. Monroe County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,555 people (454 unemployed)

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#40. Warren County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 18,893 people (587 unemployed)

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#39. Greene County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Up 1.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,271 people (137 unemployed)

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#38. Attala County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,815 people (215 unemployed)

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#37. Neshoba County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 9,983 people (320 unemployed)

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#36. Copiah County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,780 people (343 unemployed)

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#35. Benton County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,946 people (98 unemployed)

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#34. Lawrence County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,744 people (155 unemployed)

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#33. Yalobusha County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,777 people (156 unemployed)

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#32. Wayne County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,947 people (227 unemployed)

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#31. Yazoo County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,827 people (287 unemployed)

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#30. Bolivar County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,298 people (368 unemployed)

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#29. Marshall County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 13,820 people (461 unemployed)

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#28. Pike County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,063 people (474 unemployed)

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#27. Carroll County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 3,042 people (105 unemployed)

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#26. Perry County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 4,242 people (150 unemployed)

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#25. Clarke County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,441 people (188 unemployed)

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#24. Chickasaw County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,033 people (209 unemployed)

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#23. Walthall County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,919 people (179 unemployed)

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#22. Jasper County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,860 people (213 unemployed)

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#21. George County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Up 1.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,884 people (316 unemployed)

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#20. Franklin County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 1.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,717 people (100 unemployed)

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#19. Amite County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,293 people (159 unemployed)

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#18. Clay County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,226 people (345 unemployed)

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#17. Panola County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 12,210 people (446 unemployed)

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#16. Kemper County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,139 people (130 unemployed)

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#15. Adams County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Up 1.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,509 people (436 unemployed)

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#14. Jefferson Davis County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 1.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,856 people (161 unemployed)

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#13. Quitman County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,244 people (96 unemployed)

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#12. Noxubee County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
— 1-month change: Up 1.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 3,332 people (148 unemployed)

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#11. Sunflower County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,605 people (341 unemployed)

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#10. Leflore County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Up 1.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,602 people (406 unemployed)

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#9. Coahoma County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
— 1-month change: Up 1.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,312 people (353 unemployed)

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#8. Washington County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
— 1-month change: Up 1.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,238 people (680 unemployed)

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#7. Issaquena County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
— 1-month change: Up 1.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 3.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 287 people (15 unemployed)

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#6. Sharkey County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 2.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,072 people (57 unemployed)

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#5. Wilkinson County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Up 2.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,581 people (143 unemployed)

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#4. Holmes County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
— 1-month change: Up 2.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,981 people (277 unemployed)

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#3. Humphreys County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.1%
— 1-month change: Up 2.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,906 people (136 unemployed)

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#2. Claiborne County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.2%
— 1-month change: Up 2.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,842 people (204 unemployed)

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#1. Jefferson County

– May unemployment rate (preliminary): 11.3%
— 1-month change: Up 4.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,809 people (205 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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