Missouri unemployment improves in December

Missouri employers continued to add jobs in December, mostly in construction, transportation and utilities, and educational and health services. Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 4,600 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis to 2.7 million.

The largest gains were in construction, which added 2,600 jobs; trade, transportation and utilities, which added 2,000 positions; and educational and health services, which added 1,000 jobs.

Leisure and hospitality and manufacturing were the major exceptions to the upward trend, each losing more than 1,000 jobs.

Not factoring seasonal adjustment, December’s rate statewide was 5.4 percent, down from 5.5 percent in November. On a national level, December’s jobless rate was lower at 5.1 percent, not seasonally adjusted.

Nodaway County had the lowest unemployment rate, at 1.7 percent. Several other Missouri counties reported unemployment rates below 3 percent, including Adair, Boone, Gentry and Cole counties.

Greene County unemployment dropped one-tenth of a point to 3.5 percent for December, while Christian County rose three-tenths of a point to 3.8 percent.