Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment increased by 7,800 jobs in February, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged from January’s 3.3%, 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 6,500 jobs, and government employment increased by 1,300 jobs.
Over the year, there was an increase of 46,000 jobs from February 2023 to February 2024, and the unemployment rate increased by half of a percentage point, from 2.8% in February 2023 to 3.3% in February 2024.
Missouri's smoothed seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged in February at 3.3% from the revised January rate. The February 2024 rate was half of a percentage point higher than the February 2023 rate. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 103,023 in February, up by 1,445 from the revisedJanuary total of 101,578.
The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment increased in February by two-tenths of a percentage point to 4% from the January rate of 3.8%. A year ago, that rate was 3.3%, and the corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for February 2024 was 4.2%.
Missouri's labor force participation rate was 63.1% in February, six-tenths of a a percentage point higher than the national rate of 62.5%. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61% in February, nine-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 60.1%. Missouri's unemployment rate was 3.3% in February, six-tenths a percentage point lower than the national rate of 3.9%. The statewide unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for more than eight years.
Missouri's nonfarm payroll employment was 3,011,400 in February, up by 7,800 from the revised January figure. The January total was revised upward by 3,800 jobs from the preliminary estimate.
Goods-producing industries increased by 5,600 jobs over the month, with mining, logging and construction gaining 3,800 jobs and manufacturing gaining 1,800 jobs.
Private service-providing industries increased by 900 jobs between January and February. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in professional and business services (5,300 jobs) and private education and health services (2,400 jobs).
Employment decreased in leisure and hospitality (-4,700 jobs); financial activities (-1,100 jobs); trade, transportation and utilities (-600 jobs); information (-300 jobs); and other services (-100 jobs).
Total government employment increased by 1,300 jobs over the month, with increases in state (1,100 jobs) and federal government (300 jobs) and a decrease in local government (-100 jobs).
Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 46,000 jobs from February 2023 to February 2024. The largest gains were in private education and health services (18,200 jobs); mining, logging and construction (6,300 jobs); leisure and hospitality (5,700 jobs); financial activities (3,900 jobs); trade, transportation and utilities (3,500 jobs); and other services (1,100 jobs).
Employment decreased in professional and business services (-1,500 jobs); and manufacturing (-600 jobs). Government employment increased by 9,400 jobs over the year, with increases in state (4,500 jobs), local (3,400 jobs) and federal government (1,500 jobs).
Read the full report at meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report.
