JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri nonfarm payroll employment increased by 11,200 jobs in December 2024, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 3.7 percent. Private industry employment increased by 8,400 jobs and government employment increased by 2,800 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 84,700 jobs from December 2023 to December 2024, and the unemployment rate increased by four-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.3 percent in December 2023 to 3.7 percent in December 2024.
EMPLOYMENT
Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment was 3,085,300 in December 2024, up by 11,200 from the revised November 2024 figure. The November 2024 total was revised downward by 2,900 jobs from the preliminary estimate.
Goods-producing industries decreased by 1,500 jobs over the month, with mining, logging, and construction decreasing by 1,300 jobs and manufacturing decreasing by 200 jobs. Private service-providing industries increased by 9,900 jobs between November 2024 and December 2024. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in trade, transportation, and utilities (5,700 jobs); private education and health services (2,800 jobs); professional and business services (1,200 jobs); financial activities (500 jobs); and leisure and hospitality (100 jobs). Employment decreased in other services (-200 jobs) and information (-200 jobs). Total government employment increased by 2,800 jobs over the month, with increases in local (2,400 jobs), state (300 jobs), and federal government (100 jobs).
Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 84,700 jobs from December 2023 to December 2024. The largest gain was in private education and health services (27,500 jobs), followed by leisure and hospitality (8,200 jobs); professional and business services (7,700 jobs); financial activities (6,600 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (4,200 jobs); other services (3,500 jobs); manufacturing (3,200 jobs); and trade, transportation, and utilities (3,100 jobs). Employment decreased in information by 1,000 jobs. Government employment increased by 21,700 jobs over the year, with increases in local (16,900 jobs), state (4,000 jobs), and federal government (800 jobs).
UNEMPLOYMENT
Missouri’s smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 3.7 percent in December 2024. The December 2024 rate was four-tenths of a percentage point higher than the December 2023 rate. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 115,866 in December 2024, down by 2,393 from November’s 118,259.
The state’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate decreased in December 2024, declining by one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.2 percent from the November 2024 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 3.3 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 2.9 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for December 2024 was 3.8 percent.
Missouri’s labor force participation rate was 63.9 percent in December 2024, 1.4 percentage points higher than the national rate of 62.5 percent. Missouri’s employment-population ratio was 61.5 percent in December 2024, 1.5 percentage points higher than the national rate of 60 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in December 2024, four-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 4.1 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for more than nine years.
Read the full report at https://meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report.