Business Employment Dynamics in Mississippi — Fourth Quarter 2023

From September 2023 to December 2023, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Mississippi were 57,470, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 52,682, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 4,788 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2023. During the previous quarter, gross job losses exceeded gross job gains by 279. (See chart 1.)

Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in Mississippi, December 2018–December 2023, seasonally adjusted

View Chart Data

Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in Mississippi, December 2018–December 2023, seasonally adjusted
Period	Gross job gains	Gross job losses
Dec. 2018	57,894	48,570
Mar. 2019	52,068	55,929
Jun. 2019	52,989	53,707
Sep. 2019	50,233	52,170
Dec. 2019	55,428	50,656
Mar. 2020	50,409	57,593
Jun. 2020	43,537	110,605
Sep. 2020	73,689	46,168
Dec. 2020	69,401	42,904
Mar. 2021	50,688	57,468
Jun. 2021	57,504	57,949
Sep. 2021	66,954	54,400
Dec. 2021	71,238	50,809
Mar. 2022	57,590	56,627
Jun. 2022	59,851	61,088
Sep. 2022	66,259	58,091
Dec. 2022	63,543	57,383
Mar. 2023	56,698	53,845
Jun. 2023	58,299	61,507
Sep. 2023	57,651	57,930
Dec. 2023	57,470	52,682

The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses is the net change in employment. (See the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.)

Gross job gains

In the fourth quarter of 2023, gross job gains represented 6.1 percent of private-sector employment in Mississippi; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.9 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) Gross job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the addition of new jobs at opening establishments. In Mississippi, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 46,834 in the fourth quarter of 2023, a decrease of 72 jobs compared to the previous quarter. (See table 1.) Opening establishments accounted for 10,636 jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2023, a decrease of 109 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 2. Private-sector gross job gains as a percent of employment, United States and Mississippi, December 2018–December 2023, seasonally adjusted
Period	Mississippi	United States
Dec. 2018	6.4	6.2
Mar. 2019	5.8	6.0
Jun. 2019	5.9	6.1
Sep. 2019	5.6	5.9
Dec. 2019	6.1	6.2
Mar. 2020	5.6	5.5
Jun. 2020	5.0	4.8
Sep. 2020	8.7	9.4
Dec. 2020	7.9	7.4
Mar. 2021	5.8	7.0
Jun. 2021	6.5	6.8
Sep. 2021	7.6	7.3
Dec. 2021	7.9	7.7
Mar. 2022	6.3	6.7
Jun. 2022	6.6	6.6
Sep. 2022	7.2	6.9
Dec. 2022	6.8	6.3
Mar. 2023	6.1	6.2
Jun. 2023	6.3	6.2
Sep. 2023	6.2	5.8
Dec. 2023	6.1	5.9

Gross job losses

In the fourth quarter of 2023, gross job losses represented 5.7 percent of private-sector employment in Mississippi; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.6 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In Mississippi, contracting establishments lost 43,626 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2023, a decrease of 2,951 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 9,056 jobs, a decrease of 2,297 jobs from the previous quarter.

View Chart Data

Chart 3. Private-sector gross job losses as a percent of employment, United States and Mississippi, December 2018–December 2023, seasonally adjusted
Period	Mississippi	United States
Dec. 2018	5.4	5.6
Mar. 2019	6.2	5.5
Jun. 2019	6.0	5.9
Sep. 2019	5.8	5.8
Dec. 2019	5.6	5.6
Mar. 2020	6.4	6.2
Jun. 2020	12.8	16.9
Sep. 2020	5.5	6.0
Dec. 2020	4.9	5.7
Mar. 2021	6.5	5.5
Jun. 2021	6.6	5.9
Sep. 2021	6.1	6.1
Dec. 2021	5.6	5.4
Mar. 2022	6.2	5.5
Jun. 2022	6.7	6.2
Sep. 2022	6.3	5.9
Dec. 2022	6.2	5.9
Mar. 2023	5.7	5.4
Jun. 2023	6.6	5.9
Sep. 2023	6.2	5.9
Dec. 2023	5.7	5.6

Industries

Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 8 of the 10 industry sectors in Mississippi in the fourth quarter of 2023. Transportation and warehousing had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 1,491 jobs. This was the result of 3,891 gross job gains and 2,400 gross job losses. The professional and business services industry had a net gain of 1,352 jobs. Retail trade showed a net loss of 701 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state.

For more information

The BED data series include gross job gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size class. BED data for the states have been included in table 2 of this release. Additional information is available online at the Business Employment Dynamics Home.

The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2024 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

Revisions to Business Employment Dynamics (BED) Data

The release of First Quarter 2024 Business Employment Dynamics data, scheduled for October 30, 2024, will incorporate annual revisions in accordance with standard procedures. The revisions will include the previous four quarters of not seasonally adjusted data and five years of seasonally adjusted data.

Technical Note

The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records.

More information on formal definitions of the data used in this release, along with coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.

Information in this release will be made available to individuals with sensory impairments upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.

Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Mississippi, seasonally adjusted
Category	Gross job gains and losses (3 months ended)					Gross job gains and losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
Category	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	63,543	56,698	58,299	57,651	57,470	6.8	6.1	6.3	6.2	6.1
At expanding establishments	51,165	47,279	46,425	46,906	46,834	5.5	5.1	5.0	5.0	5.0
At opening establishments	12,378	9,419	11,874	10,745	10,636	1.3	1.0	1.3	1.2	1.1
Gross job losses	57,383	53,845	61,507	57,930	52,682	6.2	5.7	6.6	6.2	5.7
At contracting establishments	47,055	45,968	50,395	46,577	43,626	5.1	4.9	5.4	5.0	4.7
At closing establishments	10,328	7,877	11,112	11,353	9,056	1.1	0.8	1.2	1.2	1.0
Net employment change (2)	6,160	2,853	-3,208	-279	4,788	0.6	0.4	-0.3	0.0	0.4
Construction
Gross job gains	4,444	4,941	4,361	5,482	4,787	9.7	10.4	9.2	11.3	9.7
At expanding establishments	3,638	4,259	3,523	4,675	3,737	7.9	9.0	7.4	9.6	7.6
At opening establishments	806	682	838	807	1,050	1.8	1.4	1.8	1.7	2.1
Gross job losses	3,318	3,661	4,046	4,640	3,840	7.2	7.7	8.4	9.6	7.8
At contracting establishments	2,630	3,071	3,131	3,730	3,239	5.7	6.5	6.5	7.7	6.6
At closing establishments	688	590	915	910	601	1.5	1.2	1.9	1.9	1.2
Net employment change (2)	1,126	1,280	315	842	947	2.5	2.7	0.8	1.7	1.9
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	5,299	4,890	4,108	3,954	4,460	3.6	3.4	2.8	2.8	3.1
At expanding establishments	4,968	4,648	3,613	3,642	4,158	3.4	3.2	2.5	2.6	2.9
At opening establishments	331	242	495	312	302	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.2	0.2
Gross job losses	7,100	3,767	6,470	4,838	4,235	4.8	2.5	4.4	3.4	3.0
At contracting establishments	5,509	3,452	6,230	4,329	3,982	3.7	2.3	4.2	3.0	2.8
At closing establishments	1,591	315	240	509	253	1.1	0.2	0.2	0.4	0.2
Net employment change (2)	-1,801	1,123	-2,362	-884	225	-1.2	0.9	-1.6	-0.6	0.1
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	1,950	1,903	1,804	1,959	1,942	5.5	5.3	5.0	5.5	5.4
At expanding establishments	1,490	1,585	1,452	1,647	1,512	4.2	4.4	4.0	4.6	4.2
At opening establishments	460	318	352	312	430	1.3	0.9	1.0	0.9	1.2
Gross job losses	1,572	1,740	1,981	1,650	1,752	4.4	4.8	5.5	4.6	4.9
At contracting establishments	1,293	1,435	1,677	1,286	1,364	3.6	4.0	4.7	3.6	3.8
At closing establishments	279	305	304	364	388	0.8	0.8	0.8	1.0	1.1
Net employment change (2)	378	163	-177	309	190	1.1	0.5	-0.5	0.9	0.5
Retail trade
Gross job gains	9,083	7,981	8,904	9,014	7,614	6.5	5.7	6.4	6.5	5.4
At expanding establishments	7,641	6,464	7,453	7,501	6,321	5.5	4.6	5.4	5.4	4.5
At opening establishments	1,442	1,517	1,451	1,513	1,293	1.0	1.1	1.0	1.1	0.9
Gross job losses	8,540	8,369	9,190	8,069	8,315	6.1	6.0	6.6	5.8	6.0
At contracting establishments	7,412	7,361	7,928	6,840	7,220	5.3	5.3	5.7	4.9	5.2
At closing establishments	1,128	1,008	1,262	1,229	1,095	0.8	0.7	0.9	0.9	0.8
Net employment change (2)	543	-388	-286	945	-701	0.4	-0.3	-0.2	0.7	-0.6
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	4,829	2,660	3,087	3,113	3,891	7.8	4.3	5.0	4.9	6.2
At expanding establishments	4,344	2,235	2,513	2,652	3,604	7.0	3.6	4.1	4.2	5.7
At opening establishments	485	425	574	461	287	0.8	0.7	0.9	0.7	0.5
Gross job losses	2,836	3,986	3,874	3,827	2,400	4.6	6.4	6.4	6.1	3.8
At contracting establishments	2,151	3,678	3,270	3,260	2,085	3.5	5.9	5.4	5.2	3.3
At closing establishments	685	308	604	567	315	1.1	0.5	1.0	0.9	0.5
Net employment change (2)	1,993	-1,326	-787	-714	1,491	3.2	-2.1	-1.4	-1.2	2.4
Financial activities
Gross job gains	2,978	2,359	2,575	2,618	2,035	6.7	5.3	5.7	5.8	4.6
At expanding establishments	1,951	1,814	1,895	2,021	1,581	4.4	4.1	4.2	4.5	3.6
At opening establishments	1,027	545	680	597	454	2.3	1.2	1.5	1.3	1.0
Gross job losses	2,355	2,218	2,428	2,420	2,271	5.3	5.0	5.4	5.4	5.1
At contracting establishments	1,775	1,476	1,746	1,585	1,729	4.0	3.3	3.9	3.5	3.9
At closing establishments	580	742	682	835	542	1.3	1.7	1.5	1.9	1.2
Net employment change (2)	623	141	147	198	-236	1.4	0.3	0.3	0.4	-0.5
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	11,170	10,294	10,358	11,268	11,292	9.4	8.7	8.8	9.6	9.6
At expanding establishments	8,779	8,555	7,732	8,905	9,042	7.4	7.2	6.6	7.6	7.7
At opening establishments	2,391	1,739	2,626	2,363	2,250	2.0	1.5	2.2	2.0	1.9
Gross job losses	10,448	10,651	11,844	10,966	9,940	8.8	8.9	10.1	9.4	8.4
At contracting establishments	8,688	9,190	9,734	8,245	7,919	7.3	7.7	8.3	7.1	6.7
At closing establishments	1,760	1,461	2,110	2,721	2,021	1.5	1.2	1.8	2.3	1.7
Net employment change (2)	722	-357	-1,486	302	1,352	0.6	-0.2	-1.3	0.2	1.2
Education and health services
Gross job gains	8,656	7,269	9,256	6,009	7,531	6.0	5.0	6.2	3.9	5.0
At expanding establishments	7,185	6,196	7,634	5,040	5,958	5.0	4.3	5.1	3.3	4.0
At opening establishments	1,471	1,073	1,622	969	1,573	1.0	0.7	1.1	0.6	1.0
Gross job losses	7,540	7,121	5,089	7,391	7,093	5.2	4.9	3.4	4.9	4.7
At contracting establishments	6,245	5,638	4,128	5,815	5,444	4.3	3.9	2.8	3.9	3.6
At closing establishments	1,295	1,483	961	1,576	1,649	0.9	1.0	0.6	1.0	1.1
Net employment change (2)	1,116	148	4,167	-1,382	438	0.8	0.1	2.8	-1.0	0.3
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	10,882	10,127	9,582	10,336	9,963	8.1	7.6	7.1	7.8	7.3
At expanding establishments	8,182	8,129	7,597	7,841	7,883	6.1	6.1	5.6	5.9	5.8
At opening establishments	2,700	1,998	1,985	2,495	2,080	2.0	1.5	1.5	1.9	1.5
Gross job losses	9,743	8,758	11,767	10,202	9,226	7.3	6.5	8.7	7.6	6.9
At contracting establishments	8,312	7,660	8,776	8,618	7,760	6.2	5.7	6.5	6.4	5.8
At closing establishments	1,431	1,098	2,991	1,584	1,466	1.1	0.8	2.2	1.2	1.1
Net employment change (2)	1,139	1,369	-2,185	134	737	0.8	1.1	-1.6	0.2	0.4
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	1,770	1,527	1,698	1,829	1,693	8.7	7.4	8.1	8.6	7.9
At expanding establishments	1,267	1,195	1,186	1,420	1,389	6.2	5.8	5.7	6.7	6.5
At opening establishments	503	332	512	409	304	2.5	1.6	2.4	1.9	1.4
Gross job losses	1,525	1,397	1,666	1,447	1,588	7.5	6.8	8.0	6.8	7.4
At contracting establishments	1,197	1,196	1,128	1,105	1,225	5.9	5.8	5.4	5.2	5.7
At closing establishments	328	201	538	342	363	1.6	1.0	2.6	1.6	1.7
Net employment change (2)	245	130	32	382	105	1.2	0.6	0.1	1.8	0.5
Footnotes: (1) Includes unclassified sector not shown separately. (2) The net employment change is the difference between total gross job gains and total gross job losses. See the Technical Note for further information. (3) Except public administration.

Table 2. Private-sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted
Category	Gross job gains as a percent of employment (3 months ended)					Gross job losses as a percent of employment (3 months ended)
Category	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023	Dec. 2022	Mar. 2023	June 2023	Sept. 2023	Dec. 2023
United States(1)	6.3	6.2	6.2	5.8	5.9	5.9	5.4	5.9	5.9	5.6
Alabama	6.6	6.4	5.9	5.9	6.2	6.1	5.5	5.7	6.0	5.8
Alaska	10.9	10.4	11.0	8.5	10.1	9.2	8.0	8.9	10.5	9.9
Arizona	6.6	5.9	7.0	6.7	6.6	6.0	5.4	6.5	5.9	6.9
Arkansas	6.2	5.8	5.8	5.6	6.1	5.2	5.0	6.0	5.7	5.3
California	6.6	6.1	6.7	6.2	6.3	6.6	6.4	6.4	6.5	6.5
Colorado	7.6	7.2	7.3	5.5	8.4	6.9	6.5	6.6	6.2	7.5
Connecticut	5.9	6.1	6.4	5.8	5.6	5.9	5.3	5.7	6.2	5.7
Delaware	7.0	6.7	6.0	6.0	6.2	7.5	5.2	5.7	6.5	5.9
District of Columbia	5.6	5.9	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.5	4.8	5.3	5.4	5.6
Florida	6.2	6.3	6.8	6.5	5.9	6.0	5.6	5.8	5.8	5.8
Georgia	6.7	6.2	6.4	6.1	6.1	5.9	5.8	6.5	6.1	5.7
Hawaii	6.0	5.5	5.7	5.3	6.1	4.9	5.0	5.2	6.9	5.0
Idaho	8.4	7.9	7.9	7.3	8.5	6.9	7.5	7.5	8.2	5.8
Illinois	5.4	5.8	5.4	4.8	4.9	5.1	4.8	5.3	5.5	5.1
Indiana	5.7	5.5	5.5	5.8	5.6	5.2	5.0	6.1	5.8	5.3
Iowa	6.4	6.0	6.0	5.5	6.0	6.2	5.4	5.9	5.8	5.7
Kansas	6.3	6.1	6.1	5.7	5.8	5.6	5.4	6.0	6.0	5.4
Kentucky	6.0	6.1	5.6	5.7	5.7	5.3	4.9	5.9	5.5	5.2
Louisiana	6.1	6.3	6.1	6.2	6.2	6.2	5.6	6.4	6.0	6.1
Maine	7.4	7.7	7.6	6.8	7.3	6.8	6.2	7.6	7.8	7.0
Maryland	6.6	6.8	6.7	6.4	6.3	6.9	5.6	6.3	6.5	5.9
Massachusetts	5.5	5.8	5.9	5.4	5.3	5.8	4.7	5.7	6.1	5.6
Michigan	5.9	5.7	5.9	5.2	5.5	5.2	4.9	5.3	5.9	5.6
Minnesota	5.9	5.7	6.0	3.1	6.8	5.8	4.9	5.6	4.2	7.0
Mississippi	6.8	6.1	6.3	6.2	6.1	6.2	5.7	6.6	6.2	5.7
Missouri	6.1	6.5	5.9	5.6	6.0	5.8	5.1	5.9	5.8	5.6
Montana	9.2	8.7	7.8	7.7	8.8	7.8	7.1	8.4	8.5	7.2
Nebraska	6.0	6.3	6.0	6.0	5.9	5.7	5.1	5.6	5.9	5.6
Nevada	6.4	6.2	6.6	6.5	6.6	6.1	5.7	6.0	5.5	5.1
New Hampshire	6.7	7.0	6.7	5.9	6.2	6.0	5.9	6.3	6.7	5.9
New Jersey	6.8	6.1	6.8	5.9	5.9	5.9	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.8
New Mexico	6.7	6.8	6.4	6.1	6.9	6.2	5.9	6.2	6.7	5.8
New York	5.9	6.5	6.3	5.8	5.8	6.0	5.1	5.7	6.1	5.7
North Carolina	6.6	6.4	6.1	5.6	6.1	5.7	5.3	5.7	6.2	4.7
North Dakota	6.4	7.6	6.9	6.6	6.7	6.7	5.6	6.7	6.6	6.3
Ohio	5.9	5.8	5.6	5.2	5.3	5.7	4.9	5.7	5.7	5.2
Oklahoma	6.6	6.3	6.2	6.2	6.1	5.9	5.3	6.0	6.0	5.7
Oregon	6.5	7.3	6.4	6.1	6.1	6.2	6.1	6.9	6.9	6.3
Pennsylvania	5.5	5.5	5.2	5.2	5.2	5.2	4.6	5.5	5.2	4.9
Rhode Island	6.9	7.5	6.7	6.5	6.8	6.4	5.9	7.0	6.8	6.4
South Carolina	6.9	6.8	6.4	6.8	6.2	6.2	5.8	6.8	5.7	5.4
South Dakota	6.5	7.2	6.8	6.3	6.6	6.5	5.9	6.2	6.3	5.9
Tennessee	5.8	5.9	5.9	2.7	4.9	5.6	5.0	5.5	4.2	4.6
Texas	6.2	5.9	5.8	5.7	5.7	5.3	5.0	5.4	5.5	5.2
Utah	6.9	7.0	6.8	6.8	6.4	6.6	6.2	6.2	6.5	6.2
Vermont	7.8	8.2	7.4	6.3	7.2	7.0	6.0	7.5	8.0	6.6
Virginia	6.2	6.2	6.0	5.8	5.9	5.8	5.2	5.8	6.0	5.6
Washington	5.9	6.4	6.0	5.4	6.0	5.3	5.5	5.6	6.0	5.2
West Virginia	6.6	7.1	6.1	6.5	6.1	6.4	5.3	6.1	6.5	6.5
Wisconsin	6.0	6.0	5.6	5.2	5.4	5.5	4.9	5.9	5.9	5.1
Wyoming	9.2	8.9	8.4	8.2	8.8	7.9	7.8	8.7	8.2	8.3
Puerto Rico	6.6	5.1	5.8	5.7	4.9	6.1	5.7	4.9	5.4	4.8
Virgin Islands	5.9	7.5	7.4	8.2	5.7	4.7	6.5	6.8	7.1	5.8
Footnotes (1) Totals for the United States do not include data for Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands. The sum of the states will not necessarily add to the U.S. total because of the independent seasonal adjustment of each state.

Last Modified Date: Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Southeast Information Office

Business Employment Dynamics in Mississippi — Fourth Quarter 2023