Governor Tate Reeves recently announced that several metropolitan areas in Mississippi have achieved the lowest not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates in the United States, according to a new report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Hattiesburg and Jackson metropolitan areas have both recorded an April 2024 unemployment rate of 1.6%, tying them for the lowest in the country. Additionally, the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula area is tied for the sixth lowest rate at 1.8%.

“This new data further proves that Mississippi’s economy is on fire,” Reeves said. “We have experienced an unprecedented run of private sector investment and new economic development projects. Consequently, we’ve secured more good-paying jobs for our people, and this shows that it’s making a difference.”

This achievement comes on the heels of several major economic victories for Mississippi. Notably, Amazon Web Services announced a $10 billion investment – the largest in the state’s history – which will create 1,000 new tech jobs in the Jackson metro area. Additionally, a partnership between Accelera by Cummins, Daimler Truck, and PACCAR has committed to a $1.9 billion investment, expected to generate 2,000 jobs with an average annual salary of approximately $66,000.

Mississippi has consistently reported low unemployment figures since 2023. As of April 2024, the overall state unemployment rate stands at 2.8%.