Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased by 6,900 jobs between June 2023 and July 2023, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Private industry employment was responsible for the jobs increase, while government employment was unchanged over the month. The state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.7 percent in July 2023, up from 2.6 percent in June 2023. Over the year, there was an increase of 58,900 jobs from July 2022 to July 2023, and the unemployment rate increased by one-half of a percentage point, from 2.2 percent in July 2022 to 2.7 percent in July 2023.
UNEMPLOYMENT
Missouri’s smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point in July 2023, increasing to 2.7 percent from the revised June 2023 rate of 2.6 percent. The July 2023 rate was five-tenths of a percentage point higher than the July 2022 rate of 2.2 percent. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 84,204 in July 2023, up by 2,662 from June’s 81,542.
The state’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased from 3.3 percent in June 2023 to 3.4 percent in July 2023. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 2.7 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for July 2023 was 3.8 percent.
Missouri’s labor force participation rate was 63.6 percent in July 2023, one percentage point higher than the national rate of 62.6 percent. Missouri’s employment-population ratio was 61.9 percent in July 2023, 1.5 percentage points higher than the national rate of 60.4 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate was 2.7 percent in July 2023, eight-tenths of a percentage percent lower than the national rate of 3.5 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for eight years.
EMPLOYMENT
Missouri’s non-farm payroll employment was 3,001,200 in July 2023, up by 6,900 jobs from the revised June 2023 figure. The June 2023 total was revised upward by 2,400 jobs from the preliminary estimate.
Goods-producing industries decreased by 300 jobs over the month. Mining, logging, and construction declined by 600 jobs, and manufacturing gained 300 jobs. Private service-providing industries increased by 7,200 jobs between June 2023 and July 2023. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in private education and health services (3,900 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (1,800 jobs); financial activities (1,700 jobs); and leisure and hospitality (700 jobs). Employment decreased in professional and business services (-800 jobs) and information (-100 jobs). Total government employment was unchanged over the month, with increases in state (200 jobs) and federal government (100 jobs) and a decrease in local government (-300 jobs).
Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 58,900 jobs from July 2022 to July 2023. The largest gains were in leisure and hospitality (15,500 jobs); private education and health services (12,800 jobs); professional and business services (8,700 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (8,600 jobs); manufacturing (7,800 jobs); other services (5,900 jobs); and financial activities (2,700 jobs). Employment decreased in information (-1,200 jobs) and mining, logging, and construction (-1,000 jobs). Government employment decreased by 900 jobs over the year, with a decrease in local government (-2,000 jobs) and increases in state (700 jobs) and federal government (400 jobs).
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