Springfield MSA unemployment jumps in June

The Springfield metropolitan statistical area unemployment rate increased by half a point month-to-month, settling at 6.2 percent in June.

The bump follows a 5.7 percent jobless rate in May in the Springfield MSA, which comprises Greene, Christian, Webster, Dallas and Polk counties, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics news release. However, last month's unemployment rate dropped a tenth of a point from June 2012.

Among the eight metropolitan areas in Missouri, Springfield had the fourth-lowest jobless rate in June. Missouri's metropolitan area unemployment rates for June, ranked lowest to highest, were:

• Columbia, 5.4 percent;
• St. Joseph, 5.8 percent;
• Jefferson City, 6 percent;
• Springfield, 6.2 percent;
• Joplin, 6.5 percent;
• Kansas City, 6.6 percent;
• Cape Girardeau-Jackson, 7 percent; and
• St. Louis, 7.6 percent.

Of the 372 metropolitan areas measured by the BLS, 272 had lower unemployment rates in June than the same month a year before, 73 had higher rates and 27 were unchanged, the release said.

The Missouri unemployment rate registered at 6.9 percent in June, while the U.S. jobless rate was 7.6 percent during the month.