August 2026
Released September 18, 2026
Download the full PDF for Mississippi
Download the summary PDF for Mississippi
United States
Employment snapshot
In August, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 28, rose in 4, and remained unchanged in 19.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in August.
In August, payroll jobs rose in 35 states and fell in 16. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in New Mexico. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Maryland.
Mississippi
Employment snapshot
In August, Mississippi added 3,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage point to 3.4 percent. In the prior month, Mississippi added 4,300 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Mississippi added 5,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points from 3.7 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August, or 0.1 percent. Mississippi is tied for 25th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In August, Mississippi’s private sector added 2,900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 6,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Mississippi added 4,200 net private payroll jobs.
In August, employment in Mississippi fell by 2,858, and over the past 12 months it fell by 16,023.
Mississippi’s labor force participation rate fell to 54.7 percent in August from 55 percent and ranks 50th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1 percentage point.
Mississippi
Payroll employment
Mississippi added 3,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Mississippi added 4,300 jobs. Mississippi nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 162,000 in August, or 0.1 percent. Mississippi is tied for 25th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Mississippi added 2,900 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Mississippi added 4,200 jobs. Mississippi private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 127,000 jobs in August, or 0.1 percent. Mississippi is tied for 21st in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
From July 2026 to August 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Construction (+1,400) and Other Services (+1,200).
- The worst performing sectors were Manufacturing (-500) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-400).
From August 2025 to August 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Construction (+2,000) and Leisure and Hospitality (+1,700).
- The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-2,000) and Manufacturing (-1,000).
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 54.7 percent in August 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 56.4 percent occurring in August 2019, and the 10-year low was 53 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.2 percentage points to 61.6 percent in August.