January 2026 Monthly Jobs Report

Missouri nonfarm payroll employment increased by 9,700 jobs in January 2026, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.9 percent. Private industry employment increased by 10,700 jobs and government employment decreased by 1,000 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 26,300 jobs from January 2025 to January 2026, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.9 percent.

EMPLOYMENT

Missouri's nonfarm payroll employment was 2,995,300 in January 2026, up by 9,700 from the revised December 2025 figure. The December 2025 total was revised downward by 2,500 jobs from the preliminary estimate.

Goods-producing industries increased by 4,900 jobs over the month, with mining, logging, and construction gaining 7,100 jobs and manufacturing declining by 2,200 jobs. Private service-providing industries increased by 5,800 jobs between December 2025 and January 2026. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in leisure and hospitality (4,600 jobs); private education and health services (2,900 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (2,700 jobs); and information (500 jobs). Employment decreased in professional and business services (-4,100 jobs); financial activities (-700 jobs); and other services (-100 jobs). Total government employment decreased by 1,000 jobs over the month, with an increase in local government (100 jobs) and decreases in federal (-600 jobs) and state government (-500 jobs).

Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 26,300 jobs from January 2025 to January 2026. Employment gains were in mining, logging, and construction (20,000 jobs); private education and health services (11,900 jobs); leisure and hospitality (3,700 jobs); financial activities (2,300 jobs); and other services (500 jobs). Employment decreased in trade, transportation, and utilities (-2,500 jobs); professional and business services (-1,400 jobs); manufacturing (-1,300 jobs); and information (-100 jobs). Government employment decreased by 6,800 jobs over the year, with an increase in local government (700 jobs) and decreases in federal (-6,200 jobs) and state government (-1,300 jobs).

UNEMPLOYMENT

Missouri's smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged in January 2026 at 3.9 percent from the revised December 2025 rate as well as the January 2025 rate. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 123,276 in January 2026, up by 132 from the revised December total of 123,144.

The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate increased in January 2026 by 1.1 percentage points to 4.4 percent from the December 2025 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 3.3 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 4.4 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for January 2026 was 4.6 percent.

Missouri's labor force participation rate was 63.6 percent in January 2026, 1.1 percentage points higher than the national rate of 62.5 percent. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61.2 percent in January 2026, 1.4 percentage points higher than the national rate of 59.8 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in January 2026, four-tenths of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 4.3 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for more than 10 years.

ANNUAL REVISIONS FOR 2025 DATA

With the release of January 2026 data, previously released employment and unemployment estimates for Missouri statewide and sub-state areas from both Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) and Current Employment Statistics (CES) programs have been revised through the annual revision and benchmarking process. Revised estimates reflect additional data and estimation methods developed over the year, including new population controls from the Census Bureau, updated input data, and reestimation.

LAUS data for the month of October 2025 was impacted by the lapse in federal appropriations and subsequent federal government shutdown. October 2025 data is not available and not included in these updates.

Revised data for 2025 show that seasonally adjusted total nonfarm payroll employment averaged lower than reported in the original release for every month. In the original estimates, on net from January 2025 to December 2025, Missouri gained roughly 71,400 fewer jobs than reported in the original estimates. After the revisions process, the state's employment change from January 2025 to December 2025 was revised to a net gain of 16,600 jobs.

The revision process for the LAUS series resulted in Missouri's civilian labor force participation rate being revised slightly higher than originally published for January through May. The civilian labor force participation rate was unchanged for June and July and then revised lower for August through December. Missouri's civilian labor force participation rate was above the national rate for the year.

The revision process also resulted in Missouri's seasonally adjusted unemployment to be higher for January to May in 2025 compared to the original estimates. From January through May, monthly unemployment increases ranged from 2,239 to 8,363 people. Unemployment in Missouri was revised downward for June through December, with monthly decreases ranging from 437 to 7,102 people.

Missouri's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was revised to be higher for January to April in 2025 compared to the original estimates and was unchanged for May and June. The rate was revised lower from July to November, with monthly decreases of 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points. December's revised unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.9 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate was below the national rate for the year.

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