Triangle counties unemployment up

June’s unemployment numbers ticked upward for Lowndes, Clay and Oktibbeha counties. Statewide numbers continued to decrease, according to preliminary statistics released by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. Clay County (14.5%) is ranked 76th out of Mississippi's 82 counties, the seventh worst statewide, and from May’s 14.4 %. Noxubee County is right behind West Point at 77th (14.7%). Noxubee's unemployment rate spiked from 12.6% in May. Lowndes had a 10.7% unemployment rate in June compared to 10.4% in May - ranking 55th in Mississippi. Oktibbeha went from 9.2% in May to 9.9% in June, ranking it 44th. For June, statewide unemployment rate was 9.7%. Statewide unemployment hit a yearly-high in April at 15.7% before decreasing to 10.4% in May. (Source: Columbus Dispatch 07/23/20)