State unemployment rate holds steady: Mississippi Marketplace
By Katherine Lin | Originally published by Mississippi Today
The February update from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed Mississippi’s unemployment rate at 3.7%, slightly higher than January’s rate of 3.6% and down from a 3.9% one year ago.
The national unemployment rate was 4.4% in February. The state’s unemployment rate has remained between 3.6% and 3.9% since October 2024.
The labor force participation rate in Mississippi was 55.6%, the second lowest in the country. This rate was 0.3% lower than a year earlier in February 2025 with slight declines in the number of unemployed people and those in the labor force. The national labor force participation rate was 61.9%.
Meta in Mississippi
The Mississippi Development Authority announced that Compass Data Centers in Meridian has secured a tenant, Corderill, LLC.
MDA said the company will invest at least $100 million and create at least 20 direct jobs. The Clarion Ledger reported Corderill is an affiliate of Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.
Some other details:
- MDA’s announcement referred to Corderill as a “technology company.”
- Corderill is a Delaware limited liability company formed in 2024. The registered agent is listed as another Delaware company that specializes in helping companies incorporate in Delaware.
- However, the Clarion Ledger cited documents from MDA that show Meta listed as a Corderill affiliate.
- The Dallas-based Compass is building a $10 billion data center complex in Meridian that it said will eventually have eight data centers.
This session, the Legislature authorized the sale of nearly 9 acres of land to Compass that is currently used by the Department of Public Safety.
Other news:
- Energy has become a pressing national issue as Americans use more electricity than ever before and the data center buildout has some worried about whether the grid will be able to accommodate so many large consumers at once. One developer wants to build and supply their own power to tenants but the state’s largest energy providers aren’t so sure.
- A recent report from the Mississippi Business Alliance Foundation found employers in the state are open to hiring formerly incarcerated individuals. The report highlighted opportunities to increase employment and improve outcomes.
- A guaranteed income program has supported a total of over 500 Jackson mothers since 2018. At a recent event, mothers and their children highlighted how this program has brought stability and reduced financial worries.
- This is National Apprenticeship Week. There’s been a national increase in the number of apprentices, including in Mississippi, according to data from the Department of Labor. Build Mississippi is one organization that offers apprenticeship programs in construction fields, such as HVAC and plumbing.
This article was originally published by Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Source: Original Article
