By Mack Spencer

Chickasaw Journal

Unemployment in Calhoun and Chickasaw counties improved ever so slightly in November, with a one-tenth percent drop in Calhoun and a three-tenths percent drop in Chickasaw.

Calhoun's rate dropped to 9.1 percent in November, with a labor force of 5,470 employed and 550 unemployed. There were 5,540 employed in October's revised figures, with 560 unemployed.

Chickasaw's labor force consisted of 6,890 employed and 870 unemployed in November, better than October's 6,850 employed and 890 unemployed.

In November 2007, Calhoun had a jobless rate of 7.5 percent; Chickasaw sat at 9.6 percent.

Chickasaw ranked eighth-highest in the state in November. Calhoun tied for 18th with neighboring Yalobusha County.

Over the 12-month period ending in November, Calhoun averaged 9.5 percent unemployment. Chickasaw averaged 10.8 percent.

Over the past five years, November unemployment has steadily climbed in both counties. In 2003, Calhoun had a 6.6 percent unemployment rate; Chickasaw's November rate in 2003 was 7.2 percent.

Regionally

The unemployment rate for Northeast Mississippi dropped for a fourth consecutive month, but that trend likely will change soon.

According to preliminary figures provided by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, the jobless rate for the 16-county region in November was 8.1 percent, a tenth of a point lower than August.

The November figure is the lowest since April's 6.4 percent reading and the fourth straight decline since being at 9.9 percent in July.

However, with hundreds of layoffs having been announced and not yet going into effect, the unemployment numbers for Northeast Mississippi will likely go up in the next few months.

For the time being, the 8.1 percent figure is still higher than the state average of 6.6 percent.

And a year ago, the region's jobless percentage was 6.7. In November of last year, the labor force - the pool of people working and looking for work - was 219,820, compared to 218,470 this year.

The number of employed last year was 204,730, compared to 200,690 this year. The biggest difference is the number of unemployed - 15,090 last year, compared to 17,780 this year.

In November, eight of the NeMiss counties recorded drops in unemployment percentage. Seven posted higher numbers while one, Tishomingo, was unchanged.

Eleven of the state's 82 counties posted double-digit unemployment rates, with five - Benton, Chickasaw, Clay, Tippah and Tishomingo - located in Northeast Mississippi.

Lafayette County had the lowest rate (4.2) in the region and the second-lowest statewide.

Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal business reporters contributed to this report.