[12/29/04]The number of people unable to find work in Warren County fell for the month of November to 5.7 percent, the state Department of Employment Security said Tuesday.

About 1,440 people were unemployed last month, but that number is improved over October when about 1,500 people, or 6 percent of the workforce, was out of work. A year ago the jobless rate was 4.5 percent for November.

Mississippi’s unemployment rate also fell six-tenths of a percentage point in November to 5.9 percent. The state’s jobless rate in October was 6.5 percent and 5.7 percent in September.

The national adjusted rate was 5.2 percent in November, compared to 5.1 percent in October.

The DES said fewer short-term layoffs and increased hiring in the wholesale and retail industry were the key factors in the rate’s decline in November. The DES said unemployment rates do not historically change between November and December.

Job losses, according to the DES, came in the areas of entertainment and recreation, real estate and construction.

Jefferson County had the highest unemployment rate at 16.5 percent. Noxubee County had the second-highest at 13.6 percent.

Sixteen counties posted double-digit rates.

North of Vicksburg, Sharkey County’s jobless rate was 13 percent, up from 11.7 percent in October, and Issaquena County rose to 10.1 percent from 7.6 percent.

Claiborne County’s rate improved slightly, dropping to 13.2 percent from 14 percent in October.

Lamar County had the lowest unemployment rate at 2.7 percent. Rankin County was 3 percent.

The highest unemployment rate was in Jefferson County at 16.5 percent.