Unemployment Rate Increases Slightly Despite Job Growth In The Show Me State

Missouri nonfarm payroll employment increased by 17,100 jobs in July 2025 while the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point.

That’s according to the monthly jobs report released by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center which also shows private industry employment increased by 6,800 jobs and government employment increased by 10,300 jobs.

And over the year, there was an increase of 49,300 jobs from July 2024 to July 2025 reflecting an increase in the unemployment rate by four-tenths of a point, from 3.7 percent in July 2024 to 4.1 percent in July 2025.

Missouri’s unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for more than 10 years.

Full Report:

Missouri nonfarm payroll employment increased by 17,100 jobs in July 2025, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Private industry employment increased by 6,800 jobs and government employment increased by 10,300 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 49,300 jobs from July 2024 to July 2025, and the unemployment rate increased by four-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.7 percent in July 2024 to 4.1 percent in July 2025.

EMPLOYMENT

Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment was 3,029,400 in July 2025, up by 17,100 from the revised June 2025 figure. The June 2025 total was revised downward by 2,500 jobs from the preliminary estimate.

Goods-producing industries decreased by 200 jobs over the month, with manufacturing gaining 1,200 jobs and mining, logging, and construction declining by 1,400 jobs. Private service-providing industries increased by 7,000 jobs between June 2025 and July 2025. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in trade, transportation, and utilities (4,000 jobs); leisure and hospitality (2,800 jobs); professional and business services (600 jobs); other services (500 jobs); and private education and health services (100 jobs). Employment decreased in information (-900 jobs) and financial activities (-100 jobs). Total government employment increased by 10,300 jobs over the month, with increases in local (10,000 jobs) and state government (400 jobs) and a decrease in federal government (-100 jobs).

Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 49,300 jobs from July 2024 to July 2025. The largest gains were in private education and health services (24,800 jobs); leisure and hospitality (9,300 jobs); manufacturing (5,000 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (3,600 jobs); and other services (1,400 jobs). Employment decreased in information (-3,800 jobs); professional and business services (-3,300 jobs); financial activities (-1,300 jobs); and trade, transportation, and utilities (-700 jobs). Government employment increased by 14,300 jobs over the year, with increases in local (12,100 jobs) and state (4,100 jobs) government and a decrease in federal government (-1,900 jobs).

UNEMPLOYMENT

Missouri’s smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by one tenth of a percentage point in July 2025 to 4.1 percent from the revised June 2025 rate of 4 percent. The July 2025 rate was three-tenths of a percentage point higher than the July 2024 rate. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 129,776 in July 2025, up by 2,206 from the revised June total of 127,570.

The state’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased in July 2025 by three-tenths of a percentage point to 4.7 percent from the June 2025 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 4.4 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 4.3 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for July 2025 was 4.6 percent.

Missouri’s labor force participation rate was 63.5 percent in July 2025, 1.3 percentage points higher than the national rate of 62.2 percent. Missouri’s employment-population ratio was 60.9 percent in July 2025, 1.3 percentage points higher than the national rate of 59.6 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in July 2025, one-tenth of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 4.2 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for more than 10 years.

Read the full report at https://meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report.