Despite a relatively low unemployment rate, Americans continue to fear job losses 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 June 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 , from Google to Tesla, have sparked concern among Americans. What’s more, unemployment has spiked in over half the country’s states since last year, which often indicates a looming recession , a chief global economist at Piper Sandler told Business Insider. Unemployment is also up in a vast majority of U.S. metros.

Still, as of July 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 4.3%, with only a slight increase from the previous month. 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%.

Regional and state employment range widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state vary, ranging from just 2% in South Dakota to 5.4% in Washington D.C.

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

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#50. Hancock County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 19,468 people (738 unemployed)

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#49. Lowndes County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 24,705 people (942 unemployed)

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#48. Lauderdale County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 28,546 people (1,087 unemployed)

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#47. Jackson County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 60,709 people (2,292 unemployed)

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#46. Greene County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,418 people (173 unemployed)

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#45. Newton County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,820 people (306 unemployed)

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#44. Tate County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,912 people (462 unemployed)

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#43. Attala County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,979 people (276 unemployed)

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#42. Winston County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,282 people (295 unemployed)

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#41. Neshoba County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,268 people (423 unemployed)

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#40. Warren County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 19,206 people (792 unemployed)

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#39. Oktibbeha County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Up 1.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 21,656 people (889 unemployed)

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#38. Benton County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,972 people (125 unemployed)

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#37. Yalobusha County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,755 people (201 unemployed)

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#36. Lawrence County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,840 people (203 unemployed)

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#35. Copiah County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,003 people (459 unemployed)

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#34. Monroe County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,667 people (617 unemployed)

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#33. Tunica County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 4,129 people (177 unemployed)

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#32. Perry County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,322 people (188 unemployed)

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#31. Clarke County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,535 people (239 unemployed)

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#30. Yazoo County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,067 people (392 unemployed)

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#29. Clay County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,468 people (406 unemployed)

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#28. Marshall County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 13,940 people (601 unemployed)

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#27. Carroll County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,122 people (137 unemployed)

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#26. Jasper County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 5,984 people (261 unemployed)

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#25. Amite County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,378 people (197 unemployed)

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#24. Walthall County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,964 people (221 unemployed)

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#23. Wayne County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,146 people (319 unemployed)

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#22. Bolivar County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,649 people (525 unemployed)

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#21. Chickasaw County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,160 people (282 unemployed)

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#20. Pike County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,236 people (653 unemployed)

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#19. Franklin County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,743 people (128 unemployed)

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#18. Panola County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 12,453 people (590 unemployed)

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#17. George County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: Up 1.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,176 people (450 unemployed)

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#16. Kemper County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,243 people (167 unemployed)

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#15. Adams County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,664 people (558 unemployed)

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#14. Sunflower County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
— 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,906 people (419 unemployed)

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#13. Noxubee County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,483 people (192 unemployed)

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#12. Quitman County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
— 1-month change: Up 1.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,359 people (133 unemployed)

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#11. Jefferson Davis County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
— 1-month change: Up 1.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,937 people (221 unemployed)

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#10. Leflore County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
— 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,808 people (495 unemployed)

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#9. Coahoma County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
— 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,517 people (447 unemployed)

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#8. Washington County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,513 people (874 unemployed)

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#7. Wilkinson County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
— 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,582 people (160 unemployed)

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#6. Sharkey County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
— 1-month change: Up 1.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,182 people (78 unemployed)

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#5. Holmes County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
— 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,105 people (344 unemployed)

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#4. Humphreys County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.2%
— 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,045 people (168 unemployed)

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#3. Issaquena County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.6%
— 1-month change: Up 2.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 315 people (27 unemployed)

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#2. Claiborne County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.3%
— 1-month change: Up 2.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,934 people (274 unemployed)

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#1. Jefferson County

– June unemployment rate (preliminary): 14.9%
— 1-month change: Up 3.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,895 people (282 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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