JEFFERSON CITY, MO — Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment dropped by 17,200 jobs in January 2025, according to the latest data released. Meanwhile, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate edged up by one-tenth of a percentage point.
The decline was driven largely by losses in private industry employment, which fell by 18,800 jobs for the month. In contrast, government employment increased by 1,600 jobs, offering a modest offset to the overall decline.
Despite the monthly setback, Missouri still saw an annual net gain of 10,700 jobs when comparing January 2025 to January 2024. However, the unemployment rate increased over the same period, rising from 3.5 percent in January 2024 to 3.7 percent in January 2025, marking a two-tenths of a percentage point increase.
As of January 2025, Missouri’s total nonfarm payroll employment stood at 2,982,800 jobs, reflecting the 17,200 job loss from the revised December 2024 total. Notably, the December 2024 employment figure was revised downward by 85,300 jobs from initial estimates, further emphasizing ongoing labor market adjustments.
The data highlights a challenging start to 2025 for Missouri’s labor market, though the longer-term trend still shows modest job growth over the past year. Analysts will be closely watching upcoming reports to determine if this downturn is temporary or the start of a broader economic shift.
