April 2025

Released May 21, 2025

Released April 18, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 5, rose in 20, and remained unchanged in 26.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.

• In April, payroll jobs rose in 40 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Mississippi. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.

Mississippi Employment Snapshot

• In April, Mississippi added 4,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent. In the prior month, Mississippi lost 1,600 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Mississippi added 14,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 1.2 percentage points from 2.8 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Mississippi is tied for 13th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In April, Mississippi’s private sector added 4,500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 12,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Mississippi lost 1,800 net private payroll jobs.

• In April, employment in Mississippi rose by 645, and over the past 12 months it rose by 19,184.

• Mississippi’s labor force participation rate rose to 56.2 percent in April from 56.1 percent and ranks 50th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 1.4 percentage points.

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Mississippi Payroll Employment

• Mississippi added 4,300 net payroll jobs, or 0.4 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Mississippi lost 1,600 jobs. Mississippi nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Mississippi is tied for 13th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Mississippi added 4,500 private sector jobs, or 0.5 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Mississippi lost 1,800 jobs. Mississippi private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 167,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Mississippi ranks 15th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during April were Education and Health Services (2,500) and Professional and Business Services (2,100).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Government (-200) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-300).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (9,000) and Professional and Business Services (2,800).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Manufacturing (-1,400) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,500).

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 rose to 56.2 percent in April from 56.1 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 62.6 percent in April.