Lincoln County’s unemployment rate remained low, at 2.9 percent in December. Of 14,860 available workers 16 and up in the county, 14,440 are employed, while 430 are looking for work.

While up from the 2.7 percent mark (20 people more), the county’s rate remains far below the 930 people (6.3 percent) of December 2020.

There were 4,200 more jobs in Mississippi in December 2021 than there were in November 2021, according to Mississippi Department of Employment Security season-adjusted unemployment numbers.

Since a year before — in December 2020 — the number of nonfarm jobs increased 23,700, with leisure and hospitality, manufacturing and professional and business services jobs registering the largest employment gains.

The seasonally adjusted (regularly patterned) unemployment rate for December 2021 stood at 4.5, a decrease of five-tenths of a percentage point during the month. The nation itself stood at 3.9 percent, decreased three-tenths of a percentage point during the month and 2.8 percentage points from 6.7 during the entire year.

Seasonally adjusted data removes the effects of events that follow a more or less regular pattern each year, including influences of weather, holidays, opening and closing of school and other recurring season events, the MDES explained in its monthly report. These adjustments make it easier to observe the cyclical and other nonseasonal movements in a data series and amounts are adjusted at only the national and state levels.

Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December 2021 was 3.1 percent, a one-tenth of a percentage point increase during the month. As compared to December a year ago at 6.5 percent, the rate decreased 3.4 percentage points. The employed total increased 2,800 from the prior month, while the number of unemployed increased 1,700 during the month.

Mississippi’s not seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment decreased 2,500 during the month, but was 22,900 higher than one year ago. Manufacturing and leisure and hospitality sectors registered the largest monthly employment gains

Rankin and Union counties posted the lowest unemployment rates for December at 2.1 percent, followed by Lafayette County at 2.2 percent.

Thirty-four counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates less than or equal to the state’s rate of 3.1 percent. Jefferson County had the highest unemployment rate at 11.3 percent and Humphreys County was at 7.1 percent.

The Mississippian “civilian labor force” — everyone 16 and up who has a job or is looking for a job — rose slightly during December to 1,255,600 from November 2021’s 1,251,100, while the number of employed citizens increased slightly during the month to 1,216,800 compared to November’s 1,214,000. The number of unemployed Mississippians in December was 3.1, up from November’s 3.0.

In Lawrence County, out 4,500 workers, 4,310 were employed and 190 were not, for a 4.3 percent unemployment rate.

For Franklin County, out of 2,710 workers, 2,600 were employed and 110 were not, for a 4.0 percent unemployment rate.

In Walthall County, out of 4,980 workers, 4,790 were employed and 190 were not, for an unemployment rate of 3.9.

In Amite County, of 4,390 workers, 4,190 were employed and 200 were not, for a rate of 4.6.

For Pike County, there were 14,420 workers, of which 13,840 were employed and 580 were not. That’s an unemployment rate of 4.0.

In Copiah County, out of 10,640 workers, 10,260 were employed and 110 were not, for a 4.0 unemployment rate.