Missouri’s metro jobless rates fall

All eight metropolitan statistical areas in Missouri experienced unemployment rate drops in November, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Show-Me State’s metro areas all had unemployment rates below 4 percent last month, and Springfield ranked third. The unemployment rates in November were:
    •    Columbia, 2.6 percent;
    •    Jefferson City, 3 percent;
    •    Springfield, 3.3 percent;
    •    St. Joseph, 3.6 percent;
    •    Joplin, 3.7 percent;
    •    Kansas City, 3.8 percent;
    •    St. Louis, 3.8 percent; and
    •    Cape Girardeau, 3.9 percent.

Missouri’s unemployment rate declined to 3.7 percent in November from 4.1 percent in October, according to the release. The U.S. unemployment rate fell to a nine-year low of 4.6 percent in November. BLS data is not seasonally adjusted.

Of the 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the BLS, 221 reported lower unemployment rates in November compared with the same month a year earlier, 90 were higher and 26 were unchanged.