Mississippi’s unemployment rate stayed at 3.8% in June for a fourth straight month, with state economist Corey Miller describing a “no-hire, no-fire” labor market.
55.2% labor-force participation was the state’s lowest in two years, reflecting employer caution tied to economic uncertainty, tariffs and the war in Iran.
University Research Center forecasts show employment growth slowing sharply after 2021-2025, with jobs projected to shrink an average 0.1% a year from 2026 through 2030.
State GDP is also expected to cool, with average growth forecast at 1.3% over the next five years versus 2.5% in the previous five, though still above pre-pandemic levels.