Springfield's unemployment rate continues to ebb

The Springfield metropolitan statistical area's unemployment rate continued to decrease in June, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The MSA comprising Greene, Christian, Webster, Polk and Dallas counties posted a June jobless rate of 7.3%, down from 8.2% in May, according to a news release. April's unemployment rate reflected the impact of the coronavirus with an increase to 9.2%, following a 3.4% rate in March for the Springfield metro area.

All eight Missouri MSAs posted a decrease in June compared with May.

Missouri’s MSAs, in order of June unemployment rates, are:
• Jefferson City, 5.6%, down from 6% in May;
• Columbia, 5.7%, down from 6.5%;
• St. Joseph, 5.7%, down from 6.6%;
• Cape Girardeau, 7.1%, down from 9%;
• Joplin, 7.2%, down from 8.9%;
• Springfield, 7.3%, down from 8.2%;
• Kansas City, 7.8%, down from 10.8%; and
• St. Louis, 9.7%, down from 11.3%.

Missouri's unemployment rate in June dropped to 8.5% from 9.4% in May, according to the BLS data that's not seasonally adjusted.

Compared with the same month of 2019, June unemployment rates were higher in 388 of the 389 MSAs measured by the BLS. Springfield's 7.3% unemployment rate last month was up from 2.8% in June 2019.