Unemployment shot up 2 more percentage points in Warren County in January, following a statewide trend and nationally where 30 states reported jobless numbers higher than December.

Local joblessness was 12.4 percent during the month, up from 10.6 percent, said totals released Wednesday by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. Statewide, the rate stood at 12 percent, up from 9 percent for December. Adjusted for seasonal factors in the work force, the state’s rate becomes 10.9 percent.

Jobless rates nationally for February stood equal to January, at 9.7 percent, said the Labor Department. State unemployment data for February won’t be released until later this month. Five states reported record-high joblessness in January: California, at 12.5 percent; South Carolina, 12.6; Florida, 11.9; North Carolina, 11.1; and Georgia, 10.4. Jobs were actually added in 31 states, but wasn’t enough to lower unemployment.

Rankin County posted the lowest unemployment in January, at 8 percent, up from 6.8 percent. Noxubee and Holmes counties recorded the state’s highest, both at 23.1 percent. Jefferson and Claiborne counties stood at 19.7 percent and 18.1 percent, respectively. 

Contact Danny Barrett Jr. at dbarrett@vicksburgpost.com