Lincoln County’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.7% during the month of February, below the state average of 6.1%.

The county had 13,870 people employed from a labor force of 14,710. The 5.7% represents 840 individuals who said they were looking for work, but were unable to find employment.

In January, 10 fewer people were in the county’s work force and 30 fewer were employed, and 860 were unemployed (5.6%).

More than 1.28 million people make up Mississippi’s civilian labor force — the number excludes full-time students, farm workers and active duty military — and approximately 81,000 were without work during 2021’s second month.

Nationwide, 6.6% of able workers were unable to find employment during February, or more than 9.97 million people out of a national civilian labor force of more than 160.2 million individuals.

In Mississippi, Rankin County retained its usual place with the lowest unemployment percentage at 3.9%, and Lincoln County’s neighboring Jefferson County had the highest again at 15.5%.

Rankin County has one of the largest work forces in the state at 75,300 — 2,930 were unemployed in February. Jefferson County has one of the lowest work forces in Mississippi at 1,930 — 300 were unemployed.

Lincoln’s other bordering neighbors had the following unemployment rates for the month: Copiah 6.9%, Franklin 7.3%, Lawrence 7.6%, Amite 7.7%, Pike 7.7% and Walthall 7.9%,

WIN Job Center lobbies are currently closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Services are available, however, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. (4 p.m. on Wednesday) by calling 601-833-3511.

Monthly estimates of the labor force, employment, unemployment and unemployment rate are generated by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program, a cooperative effort between the Bureau of Labor Statistics and State Employment Security agencies. The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines an individual employed if they did any work at all for pay or profit during the survey week; this includes all part-time and temporary work as well as full time year round employment. Unemployed individuals are those who do not have a job, have actively looked for work during the past four weeks and are currently available for work. The sum of employed and unemployed produces the Civilian Labor Force.