Like most of state, Springfield MSA’s unemployment rate worsens

Consistent with the majority of the state, the Springfield metropolitan statistical area’s unemployment rate fared worse in June than the previous month.

The Springfield metro area — comprising Greene, Christian, Webster, Polk and Dallas counties — recorded a June jobless rate of 3 percent, which was up from 2.7 percent in May, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics news release.

Only one of the eight metro areas in the state produced a better unemployment rate in June. Kansas City’s rate improved to 3.5 percent from 3.6 percent in May.

The MSAs, in order of unemployment rates recorded in June, are:
    •    Columbia, 2.6 percent, up from 2.3 percent;
    •    Jefferson City, 2.9 percent, up from 2.6 percent;
    •    Springfield, 3 percent, up from 2.7 percent;
    •    St. Joseph, 3.1 percent, up from 2.9 percent;
    •    Joplin, 3.2 percent, up from 2.8 percent;
    •    Cape Girardeau, 3.5 percent, up from 3.1 percent;
    •    Kansas City, 3.5 percent, down from 3.6 percent; and
    •    St. Louis, 3.7 percent, up from 3.3 percent.

Comparatively, Missouri’s unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in June, worse than the 3.3 percent rate posted in May, according to the release. The BLS data is not seasonally adjusted.

Compared with the same month of 2017, June unemployment rates were lower in 298 of the 388 metro areas measured by the BLS, higher in 61 and unchanged in 29.