Opinion | Remote Work: Mississippi's Path to Economic Recovery

"Although state leaders often emphasize financial achievements, a deeper concern persists as Mississippi continues to lose many of its most highly educated residents, placing the long-term stability and competitiveness of the state's economy in serious jeopardy. The 2020 Census initially reported that Mississippi lost more than 6,000 residents, making it one of only three states to show population decline. But follow-up analysis by the U.S. Census Bureau estimated a major undercount, about 4.11%."

"Most of those undercounted were Black and Brown Mississippians, revealing structural barriers that continue to distort our understanding of who lives here and what they need. When communities of color are systematically undercounted, they lose political representation in Congress and state legislatures, and they receive fewer federal resources for schools, health care and infrastructure over the entire decade between censuses. The undercount perpetuates a cycle where the communities most in need of investment and support become invisible to policymakers."

Mississippi lost many residents in the 2020 Census but follow-up analysis found an approximately 4.11% undercount, mostly among Black and Brown populations. Undercounts reduce political representation and federal funding for schools, health care, and infrastructure across a decade. The state experiences underemployment among residents with advanced degrees while many lower-skill jobs remain unfilled. Only about 23% of jobs require a bachelor's degree or higher, yet a larger share of residents hold such degrees, creating talent underutilization. Expanding access to well‑paying remote work could retain educated residents, close equity gaps, and strengthen the state's long‑term economic competitiveness.

Read at Mississippi Free Press