After three months of small increases, Lincoln Countyunemployment started to come down in August with a 5.6 percent ratefor the month, according to totals from the Mississippi Departmentof Employment Security (MDES).

The county’s rate was down seven-tenths from a July total of 6.3percent. July was the third straight month with a rate over 6percent.

“The positive news is that we were second-lowest in the regionand below the state average of 5.8 percent,” said Chandler Russ,Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce executivevice-president.

Lincoln County’s rate trailed Amite County’s 4.7 percent, whichwas down three-tenths from July. The statewide 5.8 percent rate wasdown two-tenths.

Russ attributed the good showing to the addition of 60 jobs inthe manufacturing area from July to August and 80 morenon-manufacturing jobs over the same period. That combined with asmaller county civilian labor force, which dropped from 14,200 inJuly to 13,920 in August.

Lincoln County’s 5.6 percent rate placed it 27th among thestate’s 82 counties. Russ predicted that the good jobless rate newswould continue.

“I expect it be to stay somewhere in the 5-6 percent range forthe remainder of the year,” he said.

Russ said the job growth numbers were healthy, and areacounties’ totals should also help in efforts to attract morebusiness and industry.

“With the surrounding counties, we’ve got a good, availablelabor force,” Russ said.

In other parts of southwest Mississippi, Pike County’s rateremained steady at 6.3 percent. That was good enough forthird-lowest in the area.

Franklin, Lawrence and Walthall counties were among those to seerate increases for August. Franklin’s rate rose one-tenth to 8.7percent, Lawrence County’s total inched up two-tenths to 7 percentand the Walthall County rate climbed four-tenths to 7.6percent.

Among decliners, Copiah County had the largest drop from July toAugust, falling eight-tenths to 6.9 percent.

Jefferson County’s rate fell half a point to 20.5 percent, butthat was still the highest rate in the state. It was among 18counties with double-digit jobless rates.

MDES officials said 52 counties had rate decreases from July toAugust while 24 had increases. Also, 27 counties had rates lowerthan the state’s 5.8 percent average, lead by Rankin County’s 2.7percent.

With the return of students to school and the start of harvestseason, officials were optimistic that jobless rates would continueto improve in September.