United States Employment Snapshot
In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 21.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in North Dakota and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.
In May, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Idaho. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Minnesota.
Kansas Employment Snapshot
In May, Kansas added 100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 2.9 percent. In the prior month, Kansas added 3,000 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Kansas added 24,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points from 2.6 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. Kansas is tied for 20th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In May, Kansas’s private sector lost 300 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 18,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Kansas added 2,800 net private payroll jobs.
In May, employment in Kansas fell by 1,299, and over the past 12 months it fell by 11,547.
Kansas’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 66.1 percent in May and ranks 10th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.7 percentage points.
Kansas Payroll Employment
Kansas added 100 net payroll jobs, or 0 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Kansas added 3,000 jobs. Kansas nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 9 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. Kansas is tied for 20th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Kansas lost 300 private sector jobs, or 0 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Kansas added 2,800 jobs. Kansas private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 229,000 jobs in May, or 0.2 percent. Kansas is tied for 17th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during May were Education and Health Services (600) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (600).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Leisure and Hospitality (-400) and Professional and Business Services (-1,100).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (10,100) and Government (5,300).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-400) and Professional and Business Services (-1,100).
Kansas Labor Force
The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.
The labor force participation rate in Kansas remained unchanged at 66.1 percent in May.
Kansas ranks 10th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Kansas was 68.2 percent occurring in June 2014, and the 10-year low was 66.1 percent occurring in May 2024.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.5 percent in May.