Mississippi’s unemployment dropped to 5.9 percent in February, five-tenths of one percentage point better than January.

The rate was 6.4 percent in January.

The Mississippi Department of Employment Security said Thursday that improvements in the number of jobs in farming, education and government affected the rate.

Lauderdale County and the counties bordering Lauderdale County all had unemployment rates between 4.9-7.1 percent: Neshoba, 4.9 percent; Newton, 5.2 percent; Lauderdale, 5.6 percent; Kemper, 5.7 percent; Jasper, 6.1 percent and Clarke, 7.1 percent.

Tunica County had the highest unemployment rate in the state at 12.1 percent, followed by Jefferson County at 11.9 percent and Clay County with 11.2 percent.

Rankin County had the lowest unemployment rate at 3.9 percent, followed by Lafayette and Lamar counties at 4.2 percent each.

For more information visit the Mississippi Department of Employment Security Web site at www.mdes.ms.gov.