September 2025

Released December 11, 2025

Download the full PDF for Mississippi

Download the summary PDF for Mississippi

United States

Employment snapshot

• In September, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 10, rose in 21, and remained unchanged in 20.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.2 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4 percent.

• In September, payroll jobs rose in 30 states and fell in 20. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Alaska, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Mississippi

Employment snapshot

• In September, Mississippi lost 1,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 3.8 percent. In the prior month, Mississippi added 3,800 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Mississippi added 14,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points from 3.4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. Mississippi is tied for 12th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In September, Mississippi’s private sector lost 1,200 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 13,200 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Mississippi added 4,000 net private payroll jobs.

• In September, employment in Mississippi fell by 667, and over the past 12 months it fell by 3,881.

• Mississippi’s labor force participation rate fell to 55.6 percent in September from 55.7 percent and ranks 50th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.1 percentage points.

---

Mississippi

Payroll employment

• Mississippi lost 1,100 net payroll jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Mississippi added 3,800 jobs. Mississippi nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. Mississippi is tied for 12th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Mississippi lost 1,200 private sector jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Mississippi added 4,000 jobs. Mississippi private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 97,000 jobs in September, or 0.1 percent. Mississippi is tied for 10th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From August 2025 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+1,600) and Professional and Business Services (+500).
• The worst performing sectors were Construction (-2,600) and Other Services (-600).

From September 2024 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+5,200) and Leisure and Hospitality (+4,900).
• The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-1,000) and Mining and Logging (-200).

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 fell to 55.6 percent in September from 55.7 percent in the prior month.

• Mississippi ranks 50th in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Mississippi was 56.4 percent occurring in September 2019, and the 10-year low was 53 percent in April 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.4 percent in September.