Missouri's unemployment rate fell to 3.1 percent in May, continuing a trend of dwindling unemployment every month so far this year.
Missouri started 2022 with an unemployment rate of 3.9 percent. The rate has decreased each month of 2022, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center's monthly employment reports. Latest figures put Missouri's unemployment rate 0.3 percent lower than April's 3.4 percent.
MERIC estimates there were 96,446 Missourians unemployed in May 2022, which is down 7,159 people from April's estimate of 103,605.
Missouri's unemployment rate remains below the national rate of 3.6 percent.
An estimated 2,897,300 Missourians had jobs in May, which is down from MERIC's revised April 2022 figure. Despite fewer Missourians being unemployed, employment did not increase in May.
Non-farm employment fell by 3,100 jobs from April to May as private industries lost 1,500 jobs and the government lost 1,600 jobs.
Service-providing industries lost 3,500 jobs as trade, transportation and utilities lost 5,100 jobs, leisure and hospitality lost 2,400 jobs and other services lost 1,200 jobs. Those losses were somewhat offset by professional and business services gaining 3,500 jobs and educational and health services adding 1,700 jobs from April to May.
Goods-producing industries gained 2,000 jobs over the month as manufacturing added 1,800 jobs and mining, logging and construction added another 200 jobs.
The loss of government jobs was concentrated to local governments, which lost 1,100 jobs, and the federal government, which lost 600 jobs. State government employment gained 100 jobs during the month.
In Jefferson City, employment fell by 100 jobs -- from 76,500 in April to 76,400 in May -- because of losses in retail trade.
Employment in the Capital City has increased by 300 jobs from May 2021.