Unemployment continues to trend down in state, locally

Unemployment in Missouri dropped one-tenth of 1% in January to 2.7%, according to the latest available data from the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

With the advent of the new year, the state-mandated minimum wage rose to $12 per hour.

County figures (from December)

• Cape Girardeau: 2%, down from November's 2.1%, with 208 initial new claims for unemployment.
• Perry: 1.7%, down from 1.9%, with 28 claims.
• Scott: 2.1%, down from 2.2%, with 162 claims.

The unemployment numbers in each county are the lowest since September.

One year ago, joblessness was recorded as higher in all three counties: Cape Girardeau, 2.2%; Perry, 2%; Scott, 2.4% (December 2021).

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