Missouri Unemployment

In addition to a state wide analysis of Missouri unemployment data, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a division of the Department of Labor, in turn a part of the federal government of the United States of America also publishes data analyzing Missouri unemployment data for the nine major metropolitan areas in the state. Missouri unemployment data for these metropolitan areas include data about the Cap Girardeau- Jackson, Columbia, Fayetteville- Springdale- Rogers, Jefferson City, Kansas City, Joplin, Springfield, St. Joseph, and St. Louis metropolitan areas.

On a state wide basis, however, the Missouri unemployment rate is below the national unemployment rate for the six month period between March 2010 and August 2010. The Missouri unemployment rate has declined from 9.5 percent in March, which it also was in April, to 9.1 percent in June, before rising one tenth of a percentage point for each of the next two months, before reaching a Missouri unemployment rate of 9.3 percent in August 2010.

Accurate analysis of the Missouri unemployment data is difficult due to the fact that the size of the Civilian Labor Force has varied widely during this entire period. As a result, it is difficult to determine if the changes to the Missouri rate is due to new positions being created or if the declines are due to people failing to maintain eligibility to receive Missouri unemployment benefits.

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