JACKSON (AP) — Mississippi’s unemployment held at 6.4 percent in January.

The rate was unchanged from December.

Adams County’s rate was better than the state’s rate at 6.0 percent, down 1 percent from January 2007.

Jefferson County had the highest unemployment rate at 12.7 percent followed by Clay County at 12.5 percent and Tunica County with 12.4 percent.

Rankin County had the lowest unemployment rate at 4.1 percent, followed by DeSoto and Lamar counties at 4.4 percent each.

The Mississippi Department of Employment Security said Wednesday that layoffs, a decline in construction and weather conditions affected the jobless rate in counties with concentration of farming or retail trade jobs.