The downward trend has ended for unemployment in Lincoln County, with the unemployment rate for November rising three-tenths of a percentage over October to 4.6 percent.

Statewide, the unemployment rate sits at 4.5 percent, translating to 57,400 individuals without jobs. Across the country, the unemployment rate averages to 3.9 percent — a much better percentage, but representing nearly 6.3 million people.

Lincoln County’s population included 13,680 employed persons, 20 more than October. Unfortunately, the county’s unemployed count rose from 610 to 660 — 50 more able-bodied people, available and looking for work to no avail.

One year ago, Lincoln’s labor force was slightly larger, but so was the number and percentage of unemployed — 710 persons, or 4.9 percent.

Lamar County was the only holdout in the top spot for lowest employment rate by county in the state, with 3.2 percent, a 0.1 drop from the previous month. Rankin held steady at 3.3 percent. Jefferson County once again held the low end with an unemployment rate of 10.9 percent, the only county at 10 or above, and up from 10.3 in October.

Though Lamar County’s percentage was significantly lower, Lincoln County had fewer unemployed people — Lamar had 980 to Lincoln’s 660. It’s a population matter. The percentage is lower because more people call Lamar County home. Similarly, Jefferson County boasts a much lower number of unemployed — just 230 — but that number represents a much higher percentage of that county’s residency.

Seasonally-adjusted data removes the effects of events that follow a more or less regular pattern each year such as the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events. These adjustments make it easier to observe the cyclical and other non-seasonal movements in a data series. Amounts are seasonally adjusted at the national and state levels only.