How many jobs were added in Mississippi last month?
Refreshed monthly
Mississippi gained 1,600 jobs in May 2026, ranking it 29th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 1,100 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+1.6K
month to month change in number of jobs (May 2026)
29th
rank among states in monthly job growth (May 2026)
May 2026's gain of 1,600 jobs was the second consecutive month of positive job growth in Mississippi. Monthly job growth was down from the 3,500 new jobs in April 2026.
During the latest five year period (June 2021 to May 2026), Mississippi gained jobs in 38 out of 60 months. May 2026 had the 21st-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in July 2021 (+11,900) while job growth was weakest in July 2023 (-4,800).
There were 1,600 more jobs in May 2026 in Mississippi than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, June 2021–May 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Mississippi sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in May 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in May 2026 were retail trade, administrative and support and waste management and remediation services, and construction. Retail trade added 1,200 jobs, more than the entire economy. Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services gained 600 jobs, while construction added 600 jobs. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
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The local government sector gained 200 jobs during May 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Mississippi (May 2026)
How does Mississippi's job growth in 2026 compare to previous years?
In 2025, Mississippi gained an average of 383 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 492, and the lowest since 2024. The 2025 average ranks as 12th-highest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 300 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 125 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, Mississippi gained an average of 383 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among three metro areas primarily in Mississippi during May 2026 ranged from a loss of 200 jobs in the Hattiesburg, MS area to a gain of 200 jobs in the Gulfport, MS area metro area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Mississippi
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +200 | |
| 2. | +200 | |
| 3. | +100 | |
| 4. | -200 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
