Jobs Up, Unemployment Down in Missouri

The Missouri Department of Economic Development released seasonally adjusted data today, indicating that Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment grew by 1,900 jobs in November, reaching a new record state-high of 2,842,200 jobs.

The month’s employment increase was in addition to the jobs gained in October; the September to October increase was revised upward to 11,100 from the original estimate of 9,300.

The state’s unemployment rate for November also edged down by four-tenths of a point to 4.7 percent and the number of unemployed Missourians decreased by 10,846.

The over-the-year employment gain was 57,100 or 2.1 percent, ahead of the national growth of 1.6 percent for the same period.

Missouri’s largest private-industry employment growth for the month occurred in accommodation & food services (+3,700 jobs), construction (+3,000 jobs), transportation, warehousing & utilities (+1,300 jobs), and finance & insurance (+1,200 jobs).