Unemployment report: Springfield’s an outlier

Unlike the rest of the most populated areas of the state, the Springfield metropolitan statistical area’s unemployment rate rose in August, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In the MSA that comprises Greene, Christian, Webster, Polk and Dallas counties, the jobless rate ticked up to 3.2% in August compared with 3% in July, according to a news release. The BLS data is not seasonally adjusted.

Missouri’s MSAs, in order of August unemployment rates, are:
• Columbia, 2.6%, down from 2.9%;
• Jefferson City, 3%, down from 3.2%;
• St. Joseph, 3%, down from 3.5%;
• Joplin, 3.1%, down from 3.7%;
• Springfield, 3.2%, up from 3%;
• Kansas City, 3.3%, down from 4%;
• St. Louis, 3.3%, down from 3.6%; and
• Cape Girardeau, 3.4%, down from 3.7%.

Missouri’s unemployment rate during August was 3.4%, a decrease from 3.7% in July, according to the release.

Compared with the same month of 2018, August unemployment rates were lower in 224 of the 389 metro areas measured by the BLS, higher in 132 and unchanged in 33. The Springfield MSA’s latest unemployment rate was up from 2.9% in August 2018.