The state continued a positive unemployment trend in Septemberas area counties saw significant rate declines, according to totalsfrom the Mississippi Employment Security Commission (MESC).

All southwest Mississippi counties posted jobless rate drops ofat least one percentage point while three counties’ rates fell bytwo points or more.

Despite the smallest rate decline, Lincoln County lead the waywith a 4.5 percent unemployment rate. That total was down one pointfrom August.

Chandler Russ, executive vice-president of theBrookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce, attributed thedecline to a culmination of a strong and growing retail andservices sector and industrial employment factors. He wasoptimistic about job data in the months ahead.

“As the national economy shows signs of improvement, we hope tocontinue to lead the region and see good, strong numbers throughoutthe remainder of the year,” Russ said.

Lincoln County was again below the state average of 5 percent,which was down more than a full point from August’s 6.4 percent.Russ also pointed out that the county’s rate was 1.3 percentagepoint below the national average of 5.8 percent.

At 4.5 percent, Lincoln County ranked 25th in lowest rates amongthe state’s 82 counties.

Pike County was the only other area county to have a rate belowthe state’s. Pike’s 4.6 percent was second-lowest in the area andrepresented a decline of 1.9 percentage points from the previousmonth.

Just above the state average was Walthall County. Its 5.1percent total represented a decrease of 1.6 percentage points fromAugust.

Amite County, which has traditionally had one of the lowestrates in the area, reclaimed that status in September with a 5.2percent total. That was down 1.8 percent.

Two area counties, Copiah and Lawrence, came in with rates of5.4 percent. Copiah’s was down 1.3 percentage points from Augustwhile Lawrence’s fell 2.9 percent.

To the west, Franklin County posted a decrease of 2.2 percentagepoints. However, the resultant 8 percent rate was stillsecond-highest in the area.

Jefferson County, subject to large fluctuations in its rate,experienced a 6.4 percent drop in its September total to 12.2percent. That rate still gave the county the highest rate in thestate, a full 1.2 points above Monroe County’s second-highest totalof 11 percent.

While only eight counties had double-digit unemployment totals,29 counties managed rates below the state average. Lamar Countyclaimed the lowest rate at 2.4 percent.

MESC officials attributed the state’s healthy jobless totals toback-to-school employment and other areas. Local education sectorsgained 6,200 jobs while the educational and health services sectoradded 1,600, officials said.

For the future, labor force conditions for October should besimilar to those in September, MESC officials said.