Mississippi State Profile

Weak tax collections lead to spending cuts as Mississippi strives to keep its FY2010 budget balanced; state is diversifying its manufacturing-based economy by boosting tourism marketing on its blues heritage and developing its energy sector.

• State job growth fell 3.0% in August 2009 from a year ago; national job growth fell 4.4%.
• State unemployment averaged 9.5% in August 2009; the national average was 9.7%
• Personal income fell 3.0% to $88.3 billion in Q2 2009 from a year ago.
• Tax revenue fell 8.8% in Q2 2009 from the previous year.
• Exports fell 16.1% to $2.8 billion in the first seven months of 2009 from a year ago.