February 2026 Monthly Jobs Report

Missouri nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 8,600 jobs in February 2026, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged from January at 3.9 percent. Government employment increased by 800 jobs and private industry employment decreased by 9,400 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 1,500 jobs from February 2025 to February 2026, and the unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point, from 4 percent in February 2025 to 3.9 percent in February 2026.

EMPLOYMENT

Missouri's nonfarm payroll employment was 2,986,100 in February 2026, down by 8,600 from the revised January 2026 figure. The January 2026 total was revised downward by 600 jobs from the preliminary estimate.

Total government employment increased by 800 jobs over the month, with increases in state (500 jobs), local (200 jobs), and federal government (100 jobs). Goods-producing industries decreased by 1,900 jobs over the month, with manufacturing gaining 2,300 jobs and mining, logging, and construction decreasing by 4,200 jobs. Private service-providing industries declined by 7,500 jobs between January 2026 and February 2026. Employment increased in trade, transportation, and utilities (600 jobs); leisure and hospitality (600 jobs); and other services (100 jobs). Employment decreased in private education and health services (-4,900 jobs), professional and business services (-2,300 jobs), financial activities (-1,300 jobs), and information (-300 jobs).

Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 1,500 jobs from February 2025 to February 2026. The largest gain was in mining, logging, and construction (10,000 jobs), followed by leisure and hospitality (5,700 jobs), private education and health services (4,300 jobs), financial activities (500 jobs), and other services (300 jobs). Employment decreased over the year in professional and business services (-6,000 jobs); manufacturing (-3,200 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-2,400 jobs); and information (-200 jobs). Government employment decreased by 7,500 jobs over the year, with an increase in local government (300 jobs) and decreases in federal (-5,800 jobs) and state government (-2,000 jobs).

UNEMPLOYMENT

Missouri's smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged in February 2026 at 3.9 percent. The February 2026 rate was one-tenth of a percentage point lower than the February 2025 rate of 4 percent. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 122,487 in February 2026, down by 781 from January's 123,268.

The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate decreased in February 2026, declining by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.3 percent from the January 2026 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 4.4 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 4.5 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for February 2026 was 4.7 percent.

Missouri's labor force participation rate was 63.6 percent in February 2026, 1.6 percentage points higher than the national rate of 62 percent. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61.1 percent in February 2026, 1.8 percentage points higher than the national rate of 59.3 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in February 2026, half of a percentage point lower than the national rate of 4.4 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate has been at or below the national rate for more than 10 years.

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