December 2024 | Released January 28, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In December, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 7, rose in 25, and remained unchanged in 19.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.

• In December, payroll jobs rose in 43 states and fell in 7. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

Mississippi Employment Snapshot

• In December, Mississippi lost 1,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 3.3 percent. In the prior month, Mississippi lost 1,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Mississippi added 15,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 3.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Mississippi is tied for 30th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In December, Mississippi’s private sector lost 1,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 12,600 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Mississippi lost 1,700 net private payroll jobs.

• In December, employment in Mississippi rose by 4,427, and over the past 12 months it rose by 35,857.

• Mississippi’s labor force participation rate rose to 55.3 percent in December from 55 percent and ranks 50th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 1.5 percentage points.

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Mississippi Payroll Employment

• Mississippi lost 1,600 net payroll jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Mississippi lost 1,200 jobs. Mississippi nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Mississippi is tied for 30th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Mississippi lost 1,800 private sector jobs, or -0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Mississippi lost 1,700 jobs. Mississippi private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 223,000 jobs in December, or 0.2 percent. Mississippi is tied for 27th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during December were Education and Health Services (600) and Leisure and Hospitality (300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Construction (-1,100) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,300).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (5,200) and Professional and Business Services (4,500).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-500) and Manufacturing (-1,600).

Mississippi Labor Force

The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.

• The labor force participation rate in Mississippi rose to 55.3 percent in December from 55 percent in the prior month.

• Mississippi ranks 50th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Mississippi was 56.3 percent occurring in October 2019, and the 10-year low was 52.9 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.5 percent in December.