October 2024

Released November 19, 2024

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In October, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 8, rose in 22, and remained unchanged in 21.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in District of Columbia and Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in October.

• In October, payroll jobs rose in 21 states and fell in 30. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Idaho. The largest payroll job percent decline was 1 percent in Washington.

Missouri Employment Snapshot

• In October, Missouri added 5,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 3.8 percent. In the prior month, Missouri lost 200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Missouri added 81,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 3.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 12,000 in October, or 0 percent. Missouri is tied for 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In October, Missouri’s private sector added 1,600 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 65,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Missouri lost 1,700 net private payroll jobs.

• In October, employment in Missouri rose by 4,436, and over the past 12 months it rose by 35,978.

• Missouri’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 63.9 percent in October and ranks 22nd in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.7 percentage points.

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Missouri Payroll Employment

• Missouri added 5,400 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during October. In the prior month, Missouri lost 200 jobs. Missouri nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 12,000 in October, or 0 percent. Missouri is tied for 2nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Missouri added 1,600 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during October. In the prior month, Missouri lost 1,700 jobs. Missouri private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs fell by 28,000 jobs in October, or 0 percent. Missouri is tied for 4th 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 October were Government (3,800) and Leisure and Hospitality (1,200).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Professional and Business Services (-700) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,400).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (21,700) and Government (16,300).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (700) and Mining and Logging (200).

Missouri 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 Missouri remained unchanged at 63.9 percent in October.

• Missouri ranks 22nd in the nation.

• The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Missouri was 64.7 percent occurring in August 2016, and the 10-year low was 59.5 percent in May 2020.

• The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in October.