Missouri employment is continuing to grow adding new jobs statewide in February. Metropolitan areas across the state saw this increase in employment and continue to experience strong growth. From a year ago, employment has increased by 1.4 percent.
Non-farm payroll employment increased by 8,000 jobs in St. Louis in February. The return from a temporary layoff in the automobile industry helped push manufacturing up by 2,900 jobs, while the beginning of the spring school term contributed to an increase of 2,300 jobs in local government. Professional and business services employment was up by 1,400, private educational and health services by 1,500 and leisure and hospitality by 1,100. The major exception to the upward trend was in retail, where employment fell back 2,500.
In the Kansas City metropolitan area, employment was up by 3,900 jobs over the month. As in St. Louis, local government and private educational and health services contributed to in the increase (3,000 and 1,100 respectively.) Retail trade employment was down by 800.
The Springfield MSA added 1,300 jobs in February, 700 spread through a number of private industries and 600 in state government with the beginning of the sprint term at universities and colleges.
Columbia employment was up by 2,900 jobs over the month, most associated with the resumption of educational activities. Employment was up by 100 in Jefferson City, 700 in Joplin and 400 in St. Joseph.
Over the past year, most metropolitan areas have experienced strong growth. Rates of increase over the past year were: Springfield has seen the strongest growth rate at 3.9 percent; St. Joseph is up 3.4 percent; Columbia up 3.1 percent; Joplin's rate increase is at 3.3 percent; Kansas City is at 1.9 percent; St. Louis is up 1.4 percent and Jefferson City is up 0.4 percent.
In general, the private service-providing industries have been providing most of the growth, although goods-producing industries, particularly construction, have shown strong percentage increases in most areas. Government employment is up in most MSA's but has decreased by 1,100 jobs in Jefferson City.
In St. Louis, total employment has grown by 18,500 jobs over the year. Natural resources, mining and construction employment increased by 3,700 jobs, while manufacturing employment is up by 1,400 despite decreases in motor vehicle manufacturing and in the nondurable goods sector. Private educational and health services employment has grown by 3,200 over the year, while leisure and hospitality added 3,200. Professional and business services employment is up by 2,800 while financial activities employment has grown by 2,000.
In Kansas City, over-the-year growth has been 18,100. The natural resources, mining and construction sectors have added 6,000 jobs since February 2005. Professional and business services employment has grown by 5,600 leisure, leisure and hospitality by 3,600 and financial activities by 1,500. The major exceptions to the overall growth have been in manufacturing and telecommunications.
In the Springfield MSA, retail trade employment has grown by 1,700 jobs, while health care and social assistance have added 1,600 on balance.
Turning to unemployment, rates were up slightly in most areas in February. Weather had been unseasonably warm in January, and the more predicted conditions experienced in February took a small toll on construction and other weather-sensitive industries.
Metropolitan area unemployment rates ranged from 3.6 percent in Columbia to 5.6 in St. Louis. In the micropolitan areas, the low was 3.7 percent in Maryville, while Branson, as usual in January and February, had the highest rate of 16.4 percent.
Outside metropolitan and micropolitan areas, county unemployment rates ranged from 4.0 percent in Perry to 8.9 percent in Pemiscot.
Unemployment rates have fallen considerably since February 2005 in most areas. The largest metropolitan area decrease has been in St. Joseph, down by 1.7 points. Among micropolitan areas, Branson's 3.6 percentage point decrease is the greatest. Kennett had the lone over-the-year increase of 0.1 percentage point. The largest increase among county labor market areas since February 2005 was 1 percentage point in Mercer, while Linn County's decrease of 2.5 points was the biggest drop.
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Editor's Note: For complete unemployment rates for February 2006, contact Misti Preston at Misti.Preston@ded.mo.gov.
