Kansas, Missouri unemployment dips in October

Jobless rates in both states last month showed progress in decreasing unemployment. Kansas’ 3.9 percent in October was a decrease from 4.7 percent from a year ago, while Missouri’s 3.7 percent displayed a 1.3 percentage-point drop from 2020.

Missouri’s smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point in October 2021, dropping to 3.7 percent from the September 2021 rate of 3.8 percent. The October 2021 rate was 1.3 percentage points lower than the October 2020 rate. 

Kansas reports a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.9 percent. This was unchanged from 3.9 percent in September, but a decrease from 4.7 percent in October 2020.

“The Kansas unemployment rate remains steady at 3.9 percent. Additionally, for the fifth consecutive month Kansas nonfarm jobs estimates have increased,” said Secretary Amber Shultz. “October estimates indicate that the hardest hit industry during the pandemic, leisure and hospitality, has recovered nearly 82 percent of jobs since April 2020.”

Seasonally adjusted job estimates indicate total Kansas nonfarm jobs increased by 1,100 from September. Private sector jobs, a subset of total nonfarm jobs, increased by 2,500 from the previous month, while government decreased by 1,400.

Missouri’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate also decreased in October 2021, dropping by one-tenth of a percentage point to 2.8 percent from the September 2021 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 2.9 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for October 2021 was 4.3 percent.  

A year ago, the state’s seasonally adjusted rate was 5.0 percent, and the not-adjusted rate was 4.0 percent.