Unemployment drops in Missouri, 37 states last year

Missouri was among 38 states that experienced a decrease in average unemployment rates in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Show-Me State’s average jobless rate last year was 4.5 percent, down from a 5 percent average in 2015, according to a news release.

The average rose in nine states and was unchanged in three. Washington, D.C., also posted a decrease. The U.S. average dropped by 0.4 percentage points to 4.9 percent.

The number of unemployed Missourians dropped 9 percent to 141,000 in 2016 from 155,000 in 2015.

During 2016, employment population ratios — the proportion of the population 16 years or older who are employed — increased in 36 states and Washington, D.C., dropped in 12 states and was unchanged in two states. Missouri’s employment population ratio ticked down to 66.8 percent from 66.9 percent in 2015, according to the BLS.