Missouri nonfarm payroll employment increased by 12,500 jobs in February 2025, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 3.7 percent. Private industry employment increased by 12,200 jobs and government employment increased by 300 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 10,300 jobs from February 2024 to February 2025, and the unemployment rate increased by two-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.5 percent in February 2024 to 3.7 percent in February 2025.
EMPLOYMENT
Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment was 2,993,900 in February 2025, up by 12,500 from the revised January 2025 figure. The January 2025 total was revised downward by 1,400 jobs from the preliminary estimate.
Goods-producing industries increased by 9,700 jobs over the month, with manufacturing gaining 9,300 jobs and mining, logging, and construction gaining 400 jobs. The increase in manufacturing is likely due to employees returning to work after temporary shutdowns. Private service-providing industries increased by 2,500 jobs between January 2025 and February 2025. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in professional and business services (3,300 jobs), private education and health services (3,000 jobs), and information (800 jobs). Employment decreased in leisure and hospitality (-2,400 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-1,900 jobs); and financial activities (-300 jobs). Total government employment increased by 300 jobs over the month, with an increase in local government (700 jobs) and a decrease in federal government (-400 jobs).
Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 10,300 jobs from February 2024 to February 2025. Employment gains were in private education and health services (19,300 jobs), financial activities (400 jobs), and other services (400 jobs). Employment decreased in leisure and hospitality (-9,900 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-3,100 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (-2,000 jobs); information (-1,800 jobs); professional and business services (-1,200 jobs); and manufacturing (-300 jobs). Government employment increased by 8,500 jobs over the year, with increases in state (6,400 jobs) and local (2,400 jobs) and a decrease in federal government (-300 jobs).
UNEMPLOYMENT
Missouri’s smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 3.7 percent in February 2025 from the revised January 2025 rate. The February 2025 rate was two-tenths of a percentage point higher than the February 2024 rate. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 117,687 in February 2025, up by 2,339 from the revised January total of 115,348.
The state’s not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate also remained at 4.4 percent in February 2025. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 4.1 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for February 2025 was 4.5 percent.
Missouri’s labor force participation rate was 63.3 percent in February 2025, nine-tenths of a percentage point higher than the national rate of 62.4 percent. Missouri’s employment-population ratio was 60.9 percent in February 2025, one percentage point higher than the national rate of 59.9 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in February 2025, four-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 4.1 percent. Missouri’s unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for more than nine years.
Read the full report at https://meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report.
