A drive around Brookhaven and a few minutes on social media show numerous job openings around Lincoln County. While jobs appear to be available, and the number of people entering the work force is growing, so is the total of people who say they cannot find work.

In March, the percentage of available workers unemployed in the county was 4.2 — up from 4.1% in February and 3.8% in January. In January, Lincoln County had 14,610 people in the work force. That number grew to 14,680 in February and was 14,760 in March — a growth of 150 individuals over that time period. 

Within the same time frame, the number of people who said they were available to work but could not find employment went from 560 to 600 and then to 620 in March. 

Over the previous 12 months, Lincoln County has averaged 14,570 available workers, with 510 unemployed (3.5%). 

The Mississippi unemployment rate for March was 4% (51,550 people), up from 3.8 in February and 3.7 in January. The national average was 4.2% (7.24 million people), up slightly from 4.1 in February, but down from January’s 4.4%.

In the counties surrounding Lincoln, all except Copiah — which had the same rate as Lincoln — had higher percentages for unemployment in March: Lawrence, 4.4; Amite and Franklin, 5.4; Walthall, 5.7; Pike, 7.2; and Jefferson, 9.9.

The Mississippi county with the lowest unemployment rate for March was a county that typically ranks in that position — Rankin at 2.98%. Rankin had 2,320 people of 82,450. That was 100 fewer people unemployed, but a work force growth of 2,400 people. 

Hinds County has the largest population of a Mississippi county (214,870), as well as the largest labor force — 100,520 or 1,780 more than January but 60 less than February — and the largest actual number of people unemployed (4,110) in both February and March, but a comparatively low rate of 4.1 both months, because it is a percentage of the total.

Issaquena County maintains the smallest population at 1,256, the smallest labor force (320, up from 280 to match January’s total) and the least number of people without work — just 40, the same as February, though it was 30 in January. Those 40 are 11.6% of the total — the largest percentage of Mississippi’s 82 counties. 

Labor data

Monthly estimates of the labor force, employment, unemployment and the unemployment rate are generated by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program, a cooperative program be-tween the Bureau of Labor Statistics and State Employment Security Agencies. 

Statistics on the employment status of the population and related data are compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS). The CPS is a monthly survey of households conducted by the US Census Bureau. It is a scientifically selected survey designed to represent the civilian non-institutional population of the United States. 

Households selected are interviewed to obtain information about the employment status of each member of the household 16 years of age and older. The inquiry relates to employment activity or status during the calendar week, Sunday through Saturday, which includes the 12th day of the month. This week is known as the reference week. 

The survey is designed so that each person who is over the age of 16 and who is not in an institution such as prison or mental hospital or on active duty with the Armed Forces is only counted and classified in one group; employed, unemployed or not in the labor force. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines an individual employed if they did any work at all for pay or profit during the survey week; this includes all part-time and temporary work as well as full-time year-round employment. Unemployed individuals are those who do not have a job, have actively looked for work during the past four weeks and are currently available for work. The sum of employed and unemployed produces the Civilian Labor Force.