Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment increased by 5,900 jobs in November, 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 5,600 jobs, and government employment increased by 300 jobs.
The state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 3.2% in November, up from 3.1% in October.
Over the year, there was an increase of 40,700 jobs from November 2022 to November 2023, and the unemployment rate increased by half of a percentage point, from 2.7% in November 2022 to 3.2% in November 2023.
Missouri's smoothed seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point in November, increasing to 3.2% from the revised rate of 3.1% in October. The November 2023 rate was half of a percentage point higher than the November 2022 rate. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 100,927 in November, up by 3,105 from October’s 97,822.
The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment decreased in November by three-tenths of a percentage point to 2.9% from the October rate of 3.2%. A year ago, that rate was 2.3%, and the corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for November 2023 was 3.5%.
Missouri's labor force participation rate was 63.5% in November, seven-tenths of a a percentage point higher than the national rate of 62.8%. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61.4% in November, nine-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 60.5%. Missouri's unemployment rate was 3.2% in November, half 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.
Missouri's nonfarm payroll employment was 2,997,800 in November, up 5,900 from the revised October figure. The October total was revised downward by 800 jobs from the preliminary estimate.
Goods-producing industries decreased by 4,300 jobs over the month, with gains of 3,000 jobs in manufacturing and 1,300 in mining, logging and construction.
Private service-providing industries increased by 1,300 jobs between October and November. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in leisure and hospitality (2,800 jobs); private education and health services (1,100 jobs); trade, transportation and utilities (900 jobs); financial activities (500 jobs); and other services (200 jobs).
Employment decreased in professional and business services (-3,600 jobs) and other services (-600 jobs).
Total government employment increased by 300 jobs over the month, with increases in local (500 jobs) and a decrease in federal government (-200 jobs).
Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 40,700 jobs from November 2022 to November 2023. The largest gain was in private education and health services (18,100 jobs), followed by leisure and hospitality (11,900 jobs); other services (4,000 jobs); trade, transportation and utilities (3,900 jobs); manufacturing (2,100 jobs); and financial activities (1,600 jobs).
Employment decreased in mining, logging and construction (-4,600 jobs); professional and business services (-1,900 jobs); and information (-1,900 jobs). Government employment increased by 7,500 jobs over the year, with increases in local government (6,800 jobs) and federal (1,000 jobs), and a decrease in state government (-300).
Read the full report at meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report.
