The recession is hitting Southeast Missouri hard as thousands have lost their jobs in the last year and hundreds more have left the work force. The details, according to the state Department of Economic Development:Location, jobs lost, uemployment rate, March 2008 unemployment rate, labor force change
Cape Girardeau County 1,510, 6.9 percent, 4.5 percent, -577
Bollinger County 219, 9.8 percent, 6.1 percent, +13
Butler County, 1,130, 8 percent, 6 percent, -762
Dunklin County, 836, 12 percent, 7.7 percent, -266
Mississippi County, 168, 9.2 percent, 6.7 percent, -29
New Madrid County, 232, 8.9 percent, 7.1 percent, -73
Pemiscot County, 301, 12.7 percent, 6.9 percent, +193
Perry County, 213, 7.7 percent, 4.6 percent, +110
Scott County, 858, 9 percent, 6.2 percent, -316
Stoddard County, 516, 9.9 percent, 7.6 percent, -275
10 counties, 5,983, 8.8 percent, 6.0 percent, -1,982
(raw figure on unemployment: 9,069 counted as unemployed, March 2008, 13,170 counted as unemployed March 2009. That is a 45 percent increase in the number of people reported as unemployed.)
Increased unemployment (percent change in number reported as unemployed)
Cape Girardeau County +49.7 percent
Bollinger County +62.7 percent
Butler County, +28 percent
Dunklin County, +52.9 percent
Mississippi County, +37 percent
New Madrid County, +25.6 percent
Pemiscot County, +88 percent
Perry County, +67.3 percent
Scott County, +43.8 percent
Stoddard County, +29.5 percent
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