With 70,810 members of its reported 76,880 civilian labor force employed, DeSoto County’s unemployment rate dropped to 7.9 percent in June, according to data released by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.

DeSoto County ranks third statewide among Mississippi’s 82 counties, only one-tenth of a percent behind second place Lamar County. With a rate of 6.8 percent, Rankin County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state.

Sixty-nine Mississippi counties reported unemployment rates of 10 percent or higher, with two counties – Holmes (21.7) and Noxubee (22.1) – exceeding 20 percent. Rates of local counties include Marshall (13.3), Tate (11.8) and Tunica (16.6).

Results from Mississippi’s non-farm employment survey, which is counted by the location of establishments, reported a not seasonally adjusted decrease of 5,700 in employment over the month, and a decrease of 9,400 from one year ago. As expected with the end of the school term, industry sectors registering the largest monthly employment losses were Educational & Health Services; and Government.

For the month of June 2010, only 17 counties in Mississippi posted unemployment rates less than or equal to the state’s rate of 11.1 percent. Rankin County posted the lowest unemployment rate for the month of June at 6.8 percent followed by Lamar County at 7.8 percent and DeSoto County at 7.9 percent.

Sixteen counties reported rates greater than or equal to 15.0 percent with two counties reporting rates greater than 20.0 percent. Noxubee County had the highest unemployment rate for June at 22.1 percent.

Initial unemployment insurance claims in Mississippi dropped, from 16,700 in May 2010 to 15,107 in June 2010. Continuing claims dropped from 164,928 in May to 161,398 in June.

Unemployment payments, however, jumped from $19,066,330 in May to $25,899,700 in June. In June 2009, Mississippi residents received $35,751,538 in benefits.

DeSoto County reported 320 new claims and 3,699 continuing claims, with $689,322 paid in unemployment insurance benefits. In May 2010, DeSoto County’s UI benefits totaled $545,599.

For the month of June 2010, the state’s unemployment rate stood at 11.1 percent, a drop of one-tenth of one percent from May’s total. Nationally, the unemployment rate for June was 9.6 percent, an increase of three-tenths over the previous month.

                            Labor Force     Employed     Unemployment Rate 

United States      154,767,000    139,882,000               9.6

Mississippi             1,312,800       1,166,900                11.1

DeSoto County         76,880            70,810                    7.9

Olive Branch            16,060             14,840                    7.6

Southaven                22.450             20,890                    6.9

FIVE YEAR COMPARISON – JUNE

  2010     2009     2008     2007     2006     2005

United States               9.6        9.7         5.2        4.3        4.4        4.9         

Mississippi                  11.1     10.1         7.6        6.8        7.3        7.9

DeSoto County            7.9        7.4         5.1        3.9        4.4        4.2

Olive Branch                7.6        7.3         4.4        3.5        4.2        4.0

Southaven                    6.9        6.6        4.6        3.3        4.0        3.6