Mississippi's job market saw improvement in May, with the state seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate falling to 4.9 percent.
The 4.9 percent unemployment seen in May is one-tenth of a percentage point lower than April's rate and a full percentage point lower than the 5.9 percent unemployment rate in May 2016, according to the latest data from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.
May's totals represent the lowest state unemployment rate since the U.S. Department of Labor began publishing state unemployment rates in January 1976.
The labor force declined by 3,300 in May to 1,303,100. However, the labor force grew year-over-year by 23,700.
The number of people working across the state dropped by 2,600 in May to 1,239,000. Over the year since May 2016, the number of Mississippians without jobs fell by 11,800.
May 2017 also saw fewer Mississippians unemployed than any time since May 1999.