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Springfield, MO
The Springfield metropolitan statistical area's unemployment rate dropped sharply in September, according to the latest data issued this week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The five-county area – comprising Greene, Christian, Webster, Polk and Dallas counties – had a jobless rate in September of 2%, according to a news release. That compares with 2.7% in August – and 3.9% unemployment a year ago.
The Springfield metro had the third-lowest unemployment rate among the eight Missouri MSAs measured by the BLS.
The MSAs are:
• Columbia, 1.8%, down from 2.4% in August;
• Jefferson City, 1.9%, down from 2.5%;
• Springfield, 2%, down from 2.7%;
• Joplin, 2.3%, down from 3%;
• St. Joseph, 2.3%, down from 3%;
• Cape Girardeau, 2.4%, down from 3.2%
• St. Louis, 3.3%, down from 4.2%; and
• Kansas City, 3.5%, down from 3.8%.
Missouri's unemployment rate moved down in September to 2.9%, compared with 3.5% in August, according to the release. The BLS data is not seasonally adjusted.
Nationally, compared with the same month a year earlier, September unemployment rates were lower in 386 of the 389 metro areas measured by the BLS.
Missouri State University’s science building, built in 1971 and formerly called Temple Hall, is being reconstructed and updated.