Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment increased by 5,200 jobs in September, 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 4,700 jobs, and government employment increased by 500 jobs.
The state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 2.9% in September, up from 2.8% in August.
Over the year, there was an increase of 43,700 jobs from September 2022 to September 2023, and the unemployment rate increased by three tenths of a percentage point, from 2.6% in September 2022 to 2.9% in September 2023.
Missouri's smoothed seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point in September, increasing to 2.9% from the revised August rate of 2.8% The September 2023 rate was three tenths of a percentage point higher than the September 2022 rate of 2.4%. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 91,671 in September, up by 3,694 from August’s 87,977.
The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment decreased in September, declining eight tenths of a percentage point 2.6% from the August rate of 3.4%. A year ago, that rate was 2%, and the corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for September 2023 was 3.6%.
Missouri's labor force participation rate was 63.7% in September, nine tents of a a percentage point higher than the national rate of 62.8%. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61.8% in September, 1.4 percentage points higher than the national rate of 60.4%. Missouri's unemployment rate was 2.9% in September, nine tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 3.8%. The statewide unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for more than eight years.
Missouri's non-farm payroll employment was 2,988,700 in September, down by 5,200 from the revised August figure. The August total was revised downward by 5,200 jobs from the preliminary estimate.
Goods-producing industries increased by 4,700 jobs over the month, with manufacturing gaining 7,100 jobs.
Private service-providing industries remained unchanged between August and September. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in private education and health services (1,700 jobs); trade, transportation and utilities (900 jobs); and other services (900 jobs.
Employment decreased in leisure and hospitality (-1,900 jobs), professional and business services (-900 jobs), information (-500 jobs) and financial activities, (-200 jobs).
Total government employment increased by 500 jobs over the month, with an increase in local (900 jobs) and decreases in federal (-100 jobs) and state government (-300 jobs).
Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 43,700 jobs from September 2022 to September 2023. The largest gains were in private education and health services (14,700 jobs); leisure and hospitality (10,500 jobs); manufacturing (6,300 jobs); other services (5,300 jobs); professional and business services (4,700 jobs); trade, transportation and utilities (1,100 jobs); and financial activities (1,000 jobs).
Employment decreased in mining, logging and construction (-6,300 jobs) and information (-2,200 jobs). Government employment increased by 8,600 jobs over the year, with increases in local government (6,800 jobs), state (1,100 jobs) and federal (700 jobs).
Read the full report at meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report.
