2.4.
Harrison County
Economic Overview
The primary economic activity throughout the JLUS Study Area is largely
centered on the gaming industry that has been prevalent in the area since the
early 1990s. The gaming industry has continued to be an important economic
driver in the area, even after the impacts from Hurricane Katrina. Table 2‐8
shows the local labor force in 2014. Unemployment is below the state
average for Harrison County and the Cities of Biloxi and D’Iberville. Harrison County is the center for employment in the region. The major
employers in Harrison County are Keesler AFB, Naval Construction Battalion
Center, and Memorial Hospital. In total Harrison County’s largest employers
are in the government industries, including Keesler AFB, the Harrison County
School District, and the Naval Construction Battalion Center. Figure 2‐13
shows the employee breakdown of the top five employers in Harrison County.
Table 2-8 Figure 2-13
Labor Force, 2000 – 2014
Labor
Armed
Jurisdiction
Force
Forces
Employed
Mississippi
Unemployed Percent
Unemployed
1,346,038 10,936 1,198,828 147,210 6.3%
Harrison
County* 92,041 5,891 83,107 8,934 5.9%
City of Biloxi 20,745 3,521 18,720 2,025 5.7%
5,178 240 4,818 360 4.6%
City of
D’Iberville
Harrison County
School District,
1,802
Beau Rivage
Resort &
Casino, 2,932
Memorial
Hospital at
Gulfport, 3,331
*Harrison County data includes Biloxi, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Long Beach, and Pass
Christian and unincorporated Harrison County
Source: Selected Economic Characteristics, American Community Survey 5‐Year
Estimates, 2000‐2014
Keesler AFB,
11,276
Naval
Construction
Battalion
Center, 5,500
Mississippi
Mississippi has one of the nation’s lowest per capita income rates and one of
the lowest living costs. For much of the state’s early years, Mississippi was
highly dependent on the cotton industry. Today, agriculture is still a
significant employment sector, although no longer the largest. Mississippi’s
greatest industries in terms of employment are educational services, health
care and social assistance, followed by the manufacturing industry and retail.
*Harrison County data includes Biloxi, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Long Beach, and Pass
Christian, and unincorporated Harrison County
Source: http://mscoast.org/
Harrison County is making an effort to diversify its economy by creating
industrial parks in unincorporated land. Following Hurricane Katrina, the
demand for industrial space in Harrison County increased and the vacancy
rates of the parks decreased by approximately 20 percent. The Harrison
Source: Selected Economic Characteristics, American Community Survey 5‐Year
Estimates, Mississippi, 2014
Page 2‐24
Top Five Employers and Number of Employees in Harrison County,
2015
Background Report