Summer begins with unemployment spike in city, county

Despite unemployment falling across the state in May, the number of people without work in Oktibbeha County and Starkville saw a substantial increase.

The Mississippi Department of Employment Security released its latest data this week, showing unemployment in Oktibbeha County increased to 5.3 percent - up from the

3.9 percent reported in April.

While unemployment jumped month-over-month in the county, an improvement

was seen year-over-year from 5.7 percent in May 2016.

Starkville also saw a spike in unemployment, increasing to 4.5 percent, which is more than a full percentage point higher than the 3.2 percent reported

in April.

Despite a month-overmonth rise with the beginning of summer, Starkville has continued on a downward trend in terms of unemployment, with consistently lower unemployment

totals reported each May since 2012.

Oktibbeha County followed a similar trend as unemployment has continued to steadily fall over the last five years from 8.5 percent unemployment

in May 2012

Among Mississippi counties, Oktibbeha County finished with the 28th lowest unemployment rate - which matches the state’s 5.3 percent unemployment rate.

Rankin County finished with the lowest among Mississippi counties at 3.9 percent.

Issaquena County again reported the state’s highest unemployment rate at 12.8 percent.