Economic Overview: What it means
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Jackson County had a monthly unemployment rate of 4.0% in August 2025 (not adjusted).
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The four largest industry sector types are manufacturing, healthcare, retail trade, and accommodation and food services.
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In 2023, Jackson produced $9,695,071 in current-dollar total GDP, ranking 4th in the state and accounting for 6.4% of the state total. This reflects a 6.1% increase for Jackson County. (Comparison: the 2022–2023 Mississippi change was 2.6%.)
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52.4% of GDP in the county is attributable to the manufacturing sector, compared to just 14.8% statewide (2023 data). Jackson County manufacturing makes up 23.8% of manufacturing GDP within the state ($5.1B of $21.6B).
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Based on 2020 Census Bureau data, Jackson County is the 5th largest county in Mississippi.
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The cost of living in Jackson County is 8.5% lower than the USA, meaning the average annual salary of $58,319 translates into purchasing power of approximately $63,703.
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Jackson County’s veteran population rate (age 18–64) is 8.5% compared to the MS rate of 4.7%. The county’s veteran labor force participation rate is 81.2%, higher than Mississippi’s rate of 77.6%. This means Jackson County has a unique opportunity to target veterans and transferrable skills.
Total Workers for Jackson County, Mississippi by Industry
Employment data are derived from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and imputed where necessary. Data are updated through 2023Q3 with preliminary estimates updated to 2024Q2.
Cost of Living Index
| Location | Annual Average Salary | Cost of Living Index (Base US) | US Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County, Mississippi | $58,319 | 91.5% | $63,703 |
| Mississippi | $50,751 | 87.1% | $58,270 |
| USA | $75,686 | 100% | $75,686 |
| Baldwin County, Alabama | $51,485 | 99.6% | $51,693 |
| Mobile County, Alabama | $60,451 | 91.7% | $65,923 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA MSA | $64,866 | 107.4% | $60,422 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, Brent, FL MSA | $58,457 | 100.1% | $58,408 |
| Hancock County, Mississippi | $61,257 | 98.8% | $61,971 |
| Harrison County, Mississippi | $48,570 | 92.2% | $52,694 |
| Stone County, MS | $41,384 | 89.0% | $46,490 |
| George County, Mississippi | $40,236 | 89.9% | $44,762 |
Top 10 MS Counties by GDP
Jackson County Economic Output (GDP) by Millions
Manufacturing Productivity
GDP & Productivity
In 2022, Total – All industries produced $9.5 billion in GDP for Jackson County, Mississippi.
GDP: Indexed 2011 = 100
100.0%
Industry Share of Total GDP
100% in the Nation
2.6%
Avg Ann % Change Last 10 Yrs
4.0% in the Nation
$1,583,208
Output Per Worker
$651k in the Nation
Top 10 Counties Based on Manufacturing GDP
Data from JobsEQ as of 2022
Average Annual Wages & Manufacturing as a Percent of all Jobs
| Total - All Industries | Manufacturing (31) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | Empl | Avg Ann Wages per Worker | Empl | Avg Ann Wages per Worker | Mfg as % of Emp |
| Jackson County, Mississippi | 54,977 | $58,319 | 13,944 | $82,884 | 25.36 |
| Hancock County, Mississippi | 15,938 | $61,257 | 1,236 | $92,947 | 7.76 |
| Harrison County, Mississippi | 96,711 | $48,570 | 3,397 | $72,005 | 3.51 |
| George County, Mississippi | 6,252 | $40,236 | 341 | $62,431 | 5.45 |
| Stone County, MS | 5,498 | $41,384 | 507 | $62,777 | 9.22 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA MSA | 619,752 | $64,866 | 32,884 | $101,527 | 5.31 |
| Mobile, AL MSA | 192,554 | $60,451 | 18,696 | $87,453 | 9.71 |
| Baldwin County, Alabama | 97,353 | $51,485 | 4,288 | $64,906 | 4.40 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass- Brent, FL MSA | 210,135 | $58,457 | 6,994 | $83,287 | 3.33 |
Source: JobsEQ® Note: Figures may not sum due to rounding. Growth demand is based on 4-qtr moving avg employment from the latest available date. *Data as of 2024Q2
State Revenue Impact
Jackson County contributes significantly to the state economy, including income taxes. It remits the 6th highest number of gross income taxes in the state (82 counties). Based on 2020 population data from the Census/JobsEQ, Jackson County is the 5th largest county in the state.
| COUNTY | RETURNS FILED | GROSS INCOME | NET TAXABLE INCOME |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | 44,208 | $178,406,235 | $3,832,588,275 |
| Rankin | 59,587 | $144,371,198 | $3,249,819,704 |
| Desoto | 76,214 | $167,999,488 | $3,804,645,151 |
| Jackson | 52,282 | $102,351,323 | $2,333,398,187 |
| Harrison | 74,823 | $140,371,917 | $3,200,684,403 |
| Hinds | 81,904 | $143,312,414 | $3,272,992,387 |
MS DOR Annual Report, Fiscal Year 2024
Jackson County & City Building Permit Totals
Approx. 52 permits issued per month