Mississippi employment decreased 0.2 percent over the year to 1,162,900 in March 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. (See table 1.) Among the state’s two largest counties, employment declined 1.2 percent in Hinds County and 0.3 percent in Harrison County from March 2025 to March 2026, as measured by the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) program. (See chart 1.) Regional Commissioner Victoria G. Lee noted that the rate of employment growth in Hinds ranked 310th and in Harrison ranked 185th among the 371 largest U.S. counties with published data.

  

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Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in covered employment among the largest counties in Mississippi, March 2026

County	Percent change, March 2026
Hinds	-1.2
Harrison	-0.3

Employment was 107,800 in Hinds and 89,400 in Harrison in March 2026. Together these two large counties accounted for 17.0 percent of total employment in Mississippi. Nationwide, the 376 largest counties comprise 73.5 percent of total covered employment in the United States. (Large counties and county equivalents are those with annual average employment levels of 75,000 or more in 2025.)

The average weekly wage in Harrison increased 4.2 percent over the year (ranked 118th nationally) to $1,035 (368th). The average wage in Hinds increased 2.3 percent (273rd) to $1,227 (293rd). (See chart 2.) The national average was $1,654, up 3.9 percent over the year.

  

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Chart 2. Over-the-year percent change in covered average weekly wages among the largest counties in Mississippi, first quarter 2026

County	Percent change, first quarter 2026
Harrison	4.2
Hinds	2.3

Statewide, average weekly wages increased 3.3 percent over the year to $1,051. Mississippi ranked 51st in average weekly wages among the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 34th in wage growth.

Employment and wage levels (but not over-the-year changes) are also available for the 80 smaller counties in Mississippi, defined as having employment below 75,000 in 2025. (See table 2.)  Wage levels in 79 of the 80 smaller counties were below the national average. Claiborne reported the highest average weekly wage ($1,741) in the state. Issaquena reported the lowest average weekly wage ($617).

Among all 82 Mississippi counties, 12 reported average weekly wages less than $800, 23 had wages from $800 to $874, 24 had wages from $875 to $949, 5 had wages from $950 to $1,024, and 18 had average weekly wages of $1,025 or higher. (See map 1 and table 2.)