Jobless rate dips slightly in July in Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Missouri's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell for the first time in five months during July, the Missouri Department of Economic Development said Thursday.

Missouri's unemployment rate was 5.6 percent last month, down from 5.7 percent in the previous month. The state's rate was over a half-percentage point lower than the national unemployment rate of 6.2 percent.

Approximately 167,700 Missourians were out of work in July, while more than 2.6 million people had jobs.

Missouri's unadjusted unemployment rate for July was unchanged from June at 5.8 percent, which is still below the national average of 6.3 percent.

"We are pleased to see our unemployment rate consistently running below the national rate, which we see as an indication that Missouri's business climate is improving and economic growth is occurring," said Joe Driskill, director of the Department of Economic Development.

Non-farm payroll jobs decreased by 39,600 jobs from June on a seasonally adjusted basis, partly because payrolls at schools and colleges fell after the end of the spring semester. Government employment was down 40,100 jobs and private educational and health services jobs were down 4,700.

Jobs in other private sector industries rose by 5,200. While the leisure and hospitality industries saw an increase of 7,600 jobs in July, the trade, transportation and utility sectors saw a loss of 2,500 jobs.

At 12.9 percent, Linn County had the highest unadjusted unemployment rate of any Missouri county. Boone County, at 2.7 percent, had the lowest unemployment rate.

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On the Net:

Economic Development Department: http://www.missouridevelopment.org