December 2024 | Released January 28, 2025
Download the full PDF for Kansas
Download the summary PDF for Kansas
United States Employment Snapshot
In December, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 7, rose in 25, and remained unchanged in 19.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in Nevada, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 percent.
In December, payroll jobs rose in 43 states and fell in 7. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.
Kansas Employment Snapshot
In December, Kansas added 1,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 3.6 percent. In the prior month, Kansas added 6,000 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Kansas added 18,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 1 percentage points from 2.6 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Kansas is tied for 30th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In December, Kansas’s private sector added 500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 13,300 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Kansas added 5,200 net private payroll jobs.
In December, employment in Kansas rose by 3,539, and over the past 12 months it rose by 1,258.
Kansas’s labor force participation rate rose to 66.7 percent in December from 66.5 percent and ranks 8th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.4 percentage points.
Kansas Payroll Employment
Kansas added 1,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Kansas added 6,000 jobs. Kansas nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 256,000 in December, or 0.2 percent. Kansas is tied for 30th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Kansas added 500 private sector jobs, or 0 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Kansas added 5,200 jobs. Kansas private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 223,000 jobs in December, or 0.2 percent. Kansas is tied for 32nd 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 December were Government (700) and Leisure and Hospitality (700).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Manufacturing (-300) and Professional and Business Services (-1,900).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (6,600) and Government (5,100).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Professional and Business Services (-1,900) and Leisure and Hospitality (-2,200).
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 rose to 66.7 percent in December from 66.5 percent in the prior month.
Kansas ranks 8th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Kansas was 67.9 percent occurring in February 2015, and the 10-year low was 66.1 percent occurring in July 2024.
The national labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.5 percent in December.