Local unemployment still below state average; Bootheel among state's highest

Unemployment in three local counties, according to the most recently available figures from the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, remains notably lower than the statewide average of 2.8%, recorded in December.

• Cape Girardeau: 2.1%.
• Perry: 1.9%.
• Scott: 2.2%.

Drilling down

Some of the highest unemployment numbers in the Show Me State may be found in the Bootheel.

Dunklin County, home to the county seat town of Kennett, is posting a 4.1% unemployment rate, highest in the state.

Pemiscot County — with its county seat of Caruthersville — has a jobless figure of 3.7%.

SEMO Food Bank CEO Joey Keys told the Southeast Missourian that Pemiscot's food insecurity is worst among the 16 Southeast Missouri counties the not-for-profit serves.

Of note

Other southern and southeastern Missouri counties are posting the following rates of unemployment:

• Bollinger: 2.5%.
• Carter: 3.4%.
• Iron: 3.9%.
• Mississippi: 3%.
• Stoddard: 2.7%.
• Wayne: 3.4%.
• Shannon: 4%.