From September 2024 to December 2024, gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments in Mississippi were 60,319, while gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments were 59,357, 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 loss of 962 jobs in the private sector during the fourth quarter of 2024. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 4,750. (See chart 1.)

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 losses

In the fourth quarter of 2024, gross job losses represented 6.4 percent of private-sector employment in Mississippi; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.7 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) 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 43,950 jobs in the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 467 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 16,369 jobs, an increase of 6,997 jobs from the previous quarter.

Gross job gains

In the fourth quarter of 2024, gross job gains represented 6.3 percent of private-sector employment in Mississippi; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.8 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) 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 48,839 in the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of 2,650 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 10,518 jobs gained in the fourth quarter of 2024, a decrease of 898 jobs from the previous quarter.

Industries

Gross job losses exceeded gross job gains in 6 of the 10 published industry sectors in Mississippi in the fourth quarter of 2024. Retail trade had the largest over-the-quarter net job decrease, with a loss of 2,644 jobs. This was the result of 9,863 gross job losses and 7,219 gross job gains. Leisure and hospitality showed a net gain of 1,997 jobs, the largest gain 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 homepage and the Business Employment Dynamics Summary.

The Business Employment Dynamics for First Quarter 2025 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (ET).

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)
	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024
Total private (1)
Gross job gains	57,103	53,493	53,402	57,605	59,357	6.1	5.7	5.8	6.1	6.3
At expanding establishments	46,615	43,255	43,519	46,189	48,839	5.0	4.6	4.7	4.9	5.2
At opening establishments	10,488	10,238	9,883	11,416	10,518	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.2	1.1
Gross job losses	52,763	56,662	59,048	52,855	60,319	5.7	6.1	6.3	5.7	6.4
At contracting establishments	43,631	45,378	48,357	43,483	43,950	4.7	4.9	5.2	4.7	4.7
At closing establishments	9,132	11,284	10,691	9,372	16,369	1.0	1.2	1.1	1.0	1.7
Net employment change (2)	4,340	-3,169	-5,646	4,750	-962	0.4	-0.4	-0.5	0.4	-0.1
Construction
Gross job gains	4,608	5,889	4,289	4,942	5,567	9.3	11.7	8.4	9.8	10.9
At expanding establishments	3,761	4,876	3,465	4,026	4,606	7.6	9.7	6.8	8.0	9.0
At opening establishments	847	1,013	824	916	961	1.7	2.0	1.6	1.8	1.9
Gross job losses	3,859	4,369	6,232	3,782	4,585	7.8	8.7	12.3	7.5	8.9
At contracting establishments	3,268	3,408	5,150	3,230	3,043	6.6	6.8	10.2	6.4	5.9
At closing establishments	591	961	1,082	552	1,542	1.2	1.9	2.1	1.1	3.0
Net employment change (2)	749	1,520	-1,943	1,160	982	1.5	3.0	-3.9	2.3	2.0
Manufacturing
Gross job gains	4,359	3,683	3,580	2,802	3,964	3.0	2.6	2.5	2.0	2.9
At expanding establishments	4,150	3,527	3,438	2,552	3,607	2.9	2.5	2.4	1.8	2.6
At opening establishments	209	156	142	250	357	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.2	0.3
Gross job losses	4,238	4,144	4,105	4,739	4,177	3.0	2.9	2.9	3.3	3.0
At contracting establishments	3,985	3,608	3,579	4,436	3,730	2.8	2.5	2.5	3.1	2.7
At closing establishments	253	536	526	303	447	0.2	0.4	0.4	0.2	0.3
Net employment change (2)	121	-461	-525	-1,937	-213	0.0	-0.3	-0.4	-1.3	-0.1
Wholesale trade
Gross job gains	1,942	1,619	1,762	1,889	1,626	5.4	4.5	4.8	5.1	4.5
At expanding establishments	1,548	1,304	1,381	1,481	1,298	4.3	3.6	3.8	4.0	3.6
At opening establishments	394	315	381	408	328	1.1	0.9	1.0	1.1	0.9
Gross job losses	1,783	1,736	1,997	1,818	2,055	4.9	4.8	5.4	5.0	5.6
At contracting establishments	1,390	1,166	1,668	1,421	1,545	3.8	3.2	4.5	3.9	4.2
At closing establishments	393	570	329	397	510	1.1	1.6	0.9	1.1	1.4
Net employment change (2)	159	-117	-235	71	-429	0.5	-0.3	-0.6	0.1	-1.1
Retail trade
Gross job gains	7,529	7,284	7,454	8,659	7,219	5.4	5.2	5.3	6.2	5.2
At expanding establishments	6,239	6,022	6,349	7,137	5,959	4.5	4.3	4.5	5.1	4.3
At opening establishments	1,290	1,262	1,105	1,522	1,260	0.9	0.9	0.8	1.1	0.9
Gross job losses	8,358	7,868	8,548	8,103	9,863	6.0	5.7	6.1	5.8	7.2
At contracting establishments	7,279	6,403	6,986	6,805	7,992	5.2	4.6	5.0	4.9	5.8
At closing establishments	1,079	1,465	1,562	1,298	1,871	0.8	1.1	1.1	0.9	1.4
Net employment change (2)	-829	-584	-1,094	556	-2,644	-0.6	-0.5	-0.8	0.4	-2.0
Transportation and warehousing
Gross job gains	3,831	2,411	2,912	3,433	3,546	6.1	3.9	4.7	5.6	5.7
At expanding establishments	3,541	1,942	2,496	2,748	3,211	5.6	3.1	4.0	4.5	5.2
At opening establishments	290	469	416	685	335	0.5	0.8	0.7	1.1	0.5
Gross job losses	2,442	3,733	3,417	2,652	3,264	3.9	6.0	5.5	4.4	5.2
At contracting establishments	2,126	3,353	2,853	2,127	2,245	3.4	5.4	4.6	3.5	3.6
At closing establishments	316	380	564	525	1,019	0.5	0.6	0.9	0.9	1.6
Net employment change (2)	1,389	-1,322	-505	781	282	2.2	-2.1	-0.8	1.2	0.5
Financial activities
Gross job gains	2,041	2,491	2,537	2,579	2,120	4.6	5.6	5.6	5.7	4.7
At expanding establishments	1,588	1,834	2,032	1,844	1,581	3.6	4.1	4.5	4.1	3.5
At opening establishments	453	657	505	735	539	1.0	1.5	1.1	1.6	1.2
Gross job losses	2,251	2,540	2,717	2,196	2,484	5.0	5.7	6.1	4.9	5.5
At contracting establishments	1,711	1,825	2,019	1,643	1,715	3.8	4.1	4.5	3.7	3.8
At closing establishments	540	715	698	553	769	1.2	1.6	1.6	1.2	1.7
Net employment change (2)	-210	-49	-180	383	-364	-0.4	-0.1	-0.5	0.8	-0.8
Professional and business services
Gross job gains	11,271	9,159	9,844	12,608	11,900	9.5	7.8	8.5	10.9	10.0
At expanding establishments	9,009	7,084	7,538	9,986	9,595	7.6	6.0	6.5	8.6	8.1
At opening establishments	2,262	2,075	2,306	2,622	2,305	1.9	1.8	2.0	2.3	1.9
Gross job losses	9,957	11,259	11,835	9,241	10,871	8.4	9.5	10.2	8.0	9.1
At contracting establishments	7,905	9,206	9,857	7,286	7,732	6.7	7.8	8.5	6.3	6.5
At closing establishments	2,052	2,053	1,978	1,955	3,139	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.7	2.6
Net employment change (2)	1,314	-2,100	-1,991	3,367	1,029	1.1	-1.7	-1.7	2.9	0.9
Education and health services
Gross job gains	7,511	7,315	8,210	6,630	8,072	5.0	4.9	5.3	4.2	5.2
At expanding establishments	5,927	6,125	6,999	5,641	6,970	3.9	4.1	4.5	3.6	4.5
At opening establishments	1,584	1,190	1,211	989	1,102	1.1	0.8	0.8	0.6	0.7
Gross job losses	6,904	7,237	4,752	7,025	8,561	4.6	4.8	3.1	4.5	5.5
At contracting establishments	5,358	5,519	3,976	5,588	5,810	3.6	3.7	2.6	3.6	3.7
At closing establishments	1,546	1,718	776	1,437	2,751	1.0	1.1	0.5	0.9	1.8
Net employment change (2)	607	78	3,458	-395	-489	0.4	0.1	2.2	-0.3	-0.3
Leisure and hospitality
Gross job gains	9,964	10,061	8,987	10,206	11,511	7.3	7.4	6.7	7.5	8.4
At expanding establishments	7,886	7,720	7,244	7,722	9,164	5.8	5.7	5.4	5.7	6.7
At opening establishments	2,078	2,341	1,743	2,484	2,347	1.5	1.7	1.3	1.8	1.7
Gross job losses	9,255	9,579	10,877	9,598	9,514	6.9	7.1	8.1	7.2	7.0
At contracting establishments	7,803	8,020	8,992	8,168	7,075	5.8	5.9	6.7	6.1	5.2
At closing establishments	1,452	1,559	1,885	1,430	2,439	1.1	1.2	1.4	1.1	1.8
Net employment change (2)	709	482	-1,890	608	1,997	0.4	0.3	-1.4	0.3	1.4
Other services (3)
Gross job gains	1,692	1,371	1,506	1,868	1,676	7.8	6.5	7.1	8.7	7.7
At expanding establishments	1,387	1,058	1,108	1,400	1,240	6.4	5.0	5.2	6.5	5.7
At opening establishments	305	313	398	468	436	1.4	1.5	1.9	2.2	2.0
Gross job losses	1,543	1,788	1,482	1,498	2,150	7.2	8.4	7.0	6.9	9.9
At contracting establishments	1,179	1,132	1,127	1,033	1,327	5.5	5.3	5.3	4.8	6.1
At closing establishments	364	656	355	465	823	1.7	3.1	1.7	2.1	3.8
Net employment change (2)	149	-417	24	370	-474	0.6	-1.9	0.1	1.8	-2.2
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)
	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024	Dec. 2023	Mar. 2024	June 2024	Sept. 2024	Dec. 2024
United States(1)	6.0	5.7	5.8	5.8	5.8	5.7	5.4	5.9	5.8	5.7
Alabama	6.2	5.7	5.6	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.5	5.6	5.9	5.3
Alaska	10.2	10.5	10.2	7.9	10.3	9.9	8.6	9.6	9.7	9.6
Arizona	6.5	8.4	5.6	6.3	6.1	6.6	6.4	6.8	6.5	6.0
Arkansas	6.2	5.6	5.2	5.2	5.8	5.0	5.2	5.8	5.2	4.8
California	6.4	5.8	6.1	6.4	6.6	6.4	5.6	6.8	6.1	6.4
Colorado	8.2	6.4	6.5	6.3	6.1	7.6	7.7	6.2	6.7	6.7
Connecticut	5.6	5.6	5.8	5.5	5.5	5.7	5.2	5.6	5.7	5.6
Delaware	6.1	6.0	5.9	6.8	6.1	5.8	5.1	6.5	6.4	6.4
District of Columbia	5.2	5.1	5.1	4.9	5.0	5.6	4.9	6.0	5.0	5.5
Florida	6.1	5.8	6.0	6.6	6.0	5.9	5.4	5.9	5.7	6.2
Georgia	6.2	6.0	5.7	5.7	6.0	5.7	5.7	5.7	6.1	5.4
Hawaii	6.1	5.4	5.1	5.6	5.3	5.0	5.1	5.4	5.0	4.9
Idaho	8.5	7.9	7.5	7.2	8.2	5.8	8.3	7.4	7.6	6.8
Illinois	5.0	5.1	5.2	5.0	5.1	5.1	4.8	5.3	5.1	5.2
Indiana	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.3	5.4	5.1	5.0	5.5	5.4	5.2
Iowa	6.1	6.1	5.5	5.2	5.5	5.7	5.6	5.7	6.0	5.6
Kansas	5.8	5.7	5.8	5.3	5.9	5.3	5.6	5.7	5.6	5.2
Kentucky	5.7	5.7	5.2	5.4	5.3	5.2	5.0	5.9	5.5	5.5
Louisiana	6.3	6.2	5.7	6.1	6.2	5.8	5.7	6.3	5.8	5.4
Maine	7.4	7.2	7.3	6.2	6.7	7.0	6.1	7.0	7.0	7.0
Maryland	6.2	5.8	7.2	6.1	6.0	5.8	5.7	6.5	6.1	5.9
Massachusetts	5.5	5.2	5.7	4.9	5.3	5.5	5.1	5.6	5.8	5.6
Michigan	5.5	5.4	5.7	5.4	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.8	6.0
Minnesota	6.9	5.8	5.7	5.1	5.5	6.9	5.7	5.4	5.9	5.1
Mississippi	6.1	5.7	5.8	6.1	6.3	5.7	6.1	6.3	5.7	6.4
Missouri	6.0	5.7	5.6	5.5	5.7	5.6	5.3	5.8	5.8	5.3
Montana	8.8	8.1	7.9	7.3	8.4	7.2	7.5	7.6	8.1	7.8
Nebraska	5.9	5.8	5.4	5.6	5.6	5.7	5.1	5.6	5.6	5.5
Nevada	6.7	5.9	5.8	6.1	6.2	5.4	6.2	5.7	5.9	5.8
New Hampshire	6.2	6.5	6.1	5.5	6.3	5.9	5.8	6.0	6.7	5.9
New Jersey	5.9	5.5	5.9	5.3	6.0	5.8	5.4	5.4	5.8	5.3
New Mexico	6.9	6.0	6.0	6.2	5.8	5.8	6.0	6.3	6.3	5.9
New York	5.7	5.9	5.9	5.6	5.6	5.6	5.0	5.5	5.7	5.5
North Carolina	6.3	5.4	5.6	5.6	6.1	4.9	5.5	5.7	6.1	5.5
North Dakota	6.7	6.9	6.6	6.5	6.5	6.3	6.1	6.6	6.6	6.7
Ohio	5.4	5.5	5.2	5.1	5.4	5.2	4.8	5.4	5.4	5.1
Oklahoma	6.1	5.6	5.6	6.0	5.9	5.8	5.2	6.4	5.6	5.4
Oregon	6.2	6.4	6.0	6.3	6.2	6.2	6.1	6.4	6.6	6.8
Pennsylvania	5.2	5.1	4.9	5.1	5.2	4.8	4.6	5.1	5.1	4.8
Rhode Island	6.8	6.9	6.6	6.2	7.2	6.3	5.7	6.7	6.5	6.3
South Carolina	6.2	6.4	5.9	6.2	6.5	5.3	6.3	6.4	5.9	6.0
South Dakota	6.6	6.3	6.0	5.9	6.7	5.8	5.8	6.3	5.9	5.9
Tennessee	6.2	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.6	5.5	4.9	5.7	5.8	5.0
Texas	5.7	5.4	5.4	5.6	5.8	5.2	5.1	5.3	5.3	5.1
Utah	6.6	6.7	6.4	6.6	6.6	6.5	6.0	6.6	6.1	6.2
Vermont	7.3	7.2	6.6	6.6	6.7	6.6	6.3	7.5	7.3	6.8
Virginia	5.9	5.7	5.7	5.8	5.8	5.5	5.2	5.6	5.5	5.5
Washington	6.0	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.7	5.4	5.3	5.3	5.4	5.3
West Virginia	6.5	6.9	6.6	5.8	6.4	5.8	5.7	6.8	6.6	6.1
Wisconsin	5.5	5.5	5.3	5.0	5.3	5.2	4.8	5.5	5.4	5.0
Wyoming	8.9	8.4	8.2	8.6	8.8	8.4	8.3	9.0	9.0	8.4
Puerto Rico	4.9	5.4	5.6	5.4	4.4	4.8	4.6	4.9	5.1	5.5
Virgin Islands	6.0	5.6	4.3	4.4	4.0	5.9	4.5	5.1	6.1	12.6
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.