Effingham County May Jobless Rate Still High, but Improved from April

Heavily impacted by the coronavirus disease and resulting business shutdowns, the Effingham County unemployment rate for May was still improved from the April rate.

The May jobless rate for the county was 12.3%. That's better than the April rate of an even 14%. The state jobless rate in May was 15.2%.

The May rate in Effingham County is still drastically higher than the May 2019 rate of 2.7%. May 2020 non-farm employment decreased by 2,650 jobs from a year earlier.

Employment gains were posted in Construction, up by 150 jobs, and Natural Resources and Mining, up by 25 jobs.

Payrolls decreased in Manufacturing, down by 925 jobs; Leisure and Hospitality, down 650 jobs; Educational and Health Services, down 575 jobs; Professional and Business Services, down 250 jobs; Other Services, down 150 jobs; Government, down 150 jobs; and Financial Activities, down 125 jobs.

Here are the numbers in area counties for May:

Coles--11%, up from 3.5% a year earlier

Cumberland--8.7%, up from 2.6%

Shelby--10.6%, up from 3.2%

Clay--20.1%, up from 3.9%

Fayette--11.7%, up from 3.5%

Jasper--9%, up from 3.4%