Missouri nonfarm payroll employment increased by 2,100 jobs in August 2026, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Private industry employment increased by 2,400 jobs and government employment decreased by 300 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 34,100 jobs from August 2025 to August 2026, and the unemployment rate decreased by half of a percentage point, from 4 percent in August 2025 to 3.5 percent in August 2026.        

EMPLOYMENT

Missouri's nonfarm payroll employment was 3,015,700 in August 2026, up by 2,100 from the revised July 2026 figure. The July 2026 total was revised downward by 1,300 jobs from the preliminary estimate.

Goods-producing industries increased by 1,200 jobs over the month, with mining, logging, and construction gaining 2,200 jobs and manufacturing declining by 1,000 jobs. Private service-providing industries increased by 1,200 jobs between July 2026 and August 2026. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in trade, transportation, and utilities (1,100 jobs); other services (600 jobs); financial activities (200 jobs); leisure and hospitality (200 jobs); and private education and health services (100 jobs). Employment decreased in information (-700 jobs) and professional and business services (-300 jobs). Total government employment decreased by 300 jobs over the month, with decreases of 100 jobs each in local, state, and federal government.

Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 34,100 jobs from August 2025 to August 2026. Employment gains were in private education and health services (9,100 jobs); leisure and hospitality (9,100 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (8,900 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (4,700 jobs); professional and business services (4,700 jobs); financial activities (400 jobs); and information (100 jobs). Employment decreased in manufacturing (-500 jobs) and other services (-400 jobs). Government employment decreased by 2,000 jobs over the year, with a decline in federal government (-4,200 jobs) and increases in local (1,900 jobs) and state (300 jobs) government.

UNEMPLOYMENT

Missouri's smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point in August 2026, declining to 3.5 percent from the revised July 2026 rate of 3.6 percent. The August 2026 rate was half of a percentage point lower than the August 2025 rate. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 112,415 in August 2026, down by 1,122 from July's 113,537.

The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged in August 2026 at 3.9 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 4.3 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for August 2026 was 4.3 percent.

Missouri's labor force participation rate was 63.3 percent in August 2026, 1.7 percentage points higher than the national rate of 61.6 percent. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61 percent in August 2026, 1.9 percentage points higher than the national rate of 59.1 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate was 3.5 percent in August 2026, six-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 11 years.

Read the full report at https://meric.mo.gov/missouri-monthly-jobs-report.