Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment increased by 5,600 jobs in December, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point, report officials with the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development Economic Research and Information Center, which provided all of the data presented here in its Monthly Jobs Report.
Private industry employment increased by 4,200 jobs, and government employment increased by 1,400 jobs.
The state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 3.3% in December, up from 3.2% in November.
Over the year, there was an increase of 48,100 jobs from December 2022 to December 2023, and the unemployment rate increased by six-tenths of a percentage point, from 2.7% in December 2022 to 3.3% in December 2023.
UNEMPLOYMENT
Missouri's smoothed seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point in December, increasing to 3.3% from the revised rate of 3.2% in November. The December 2023 rate was six-tenths of a percentage point higher than the December 2022 rate. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 101,920 in December, up by 991 from November’s 97,822.
The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment decreased in December by one-tenth of a percentage point to 2.8% from the November rate of 2.9%. A year ago, that rate was 2.2%, and the corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for December 2023 was 3.5%.
Missouri's labor force participation rate was 63.3% in December, eight-tenths of a a percentage point higher than the national rate of 62.5%. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61.3% in December, 1.2 percentage points higher than the national rate of 60.1%. Missouri's unemployment rate was 3.3% in December, four-tenths a percentage point lower than the national rate of 3.7%. The statewide unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for more than eight years.
EMPLOYMENT
Missouri's nonfarm payroll employment was 3,005,100 in December, up 5,600 from the revised November figure. The November total was revised upward by 1,700 jobs from the preliminary estimate.
Goods-producing industries increased by 1,800 jobs over the month, with mining, logging and construction gaining 1,400 jobs and manufacturing gaining 400 jobs.
Private service-providing industries increased by 2,400 jobs between November and December. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in trade, transportation and utilities (1,900 jobs); financial activities (1,400 jobs); information (700 jobs), private education and health services (600 jobs); and leisure and hospitality (100 jobs).
Employment decreased in professional and business services (-2,200 jobs) and other services (-100 jobs).
Total government employment increased by 1,400 jobs over the month, with increases in local (1,100 jobs) and state government (300 jobs).
Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 48,100 jobs from December 2022 to December 2023. The largest gain was in private education and health services (17,000 jobs), followed by leisure and hospitality (14,200 jobs); trade, transportation and utilities (6,200 jobs); other services (3,800 jobs); financial activities (1,700 jobs); manufacturing (600 jobs); and mining, logging and construction (400 jobs).
Employment decreased in professional and business services (-5,500 jobs); and information (-700 jobs). Government employment increased by 11,400 jobs over the year, with increases in local (9,800 jobs), federal (1,200 jobs) and state government (400).
Read the full report at meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report.
