Missouri's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell slightly during November. The state's seasonally adjusted rate of 3.2% is -0.5% lower than the October 2000 rate of 3.7%. However, the November 2000 rate is 0.5% higher than the November 1999 rate of 2.7%. The decline is attributable to seasonal hiring increases by recreation and retail firms for the holiday season.
Overall, Missouri's labor force decreased slightly during November. The state's labor force of 2,962,800 is -9,100 lower than October 2000 levels. However, the November 2000 level is 67,300 higher than the November 1999 level of 2,895,500.
The national unemployment rate for November 2000 was 4.0%, a slight increase from last month's rate of 3.9%. Looking at the Midwest region, only three states posted unemployment rates lower than Missouri - Oklahoma (2.9%), Nebraska (2.8%) and Iowa (2.5%).
Unemployment levels are not distributed evenly across Missouri, with pockets of high unemployment persisting in several areas (county-level rates are not seasonally adjusted). Counties with the highest levels of unemployment continue to be clustered in three main regions: (1) the eastern Missouri Ozarks; (2) the western edge of the Lake of the Ozarks; and (3) the north central counties along U.S. Highway 36. Six counties had unemployment rates that were 7.0% or higher: Linn County at 8.4%; Wayne County at 7.5%; Mississippi County at 7.2%; and Douglas, Pemiscot and Wright Counties at 7.0%.
Conversely, there are several pockets of very low unemployment, which are located in the metropolitan areas of the state and in northwest Missouri. Eight counties had unemployment rates that were lower than 2.0%: Boone County at 0.9%; Nodaway County at 1.2%; Platte County at 1.6%; Clay and Cole Counties at 1.7%; Atchison and St. Charles Counties at 1.8%; and Christian County at 1.9%.
Chart 1. Unemployment Rates,
Seasonally Adjusted, 1999-2000.
Source: Bureau of Labor
Statistics, US Department of Labor
Map 1. Unemployment Rates, Seasonally Unadjusted, November 2000.
Source: Labor Market Information,
Missouri Department of Economic Development
