December 2025 Monthly Jobs Report…

Missouri nonfarm payroll employment increased by 800 jobs in December 2025, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point. Private industry employment decreased by 800 jobs and government employment increased by 1,600 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 52,800 jobs from December 2024 to December 2025, and the unemployment rate increased by three-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.6 percent in December 2024 to 3.9 percent in December 2025.

EMPLOYMENT

Missouri's nonfarm payroll employment was 3,052,800 in December 2025, up by 800 from the revised November 2025 figure. The November 2025 total was revised downward by 2,300 jobs from the preliminary estimate.

Goods-producing industries increased by 700 jobs over the month, with mining, logging, and construction gaining 800 jobs and manufacturing declining by 100 jobs. Private service-providing industries decreased by 1,500 jobs between November 2025 and December 2025. Employment in private service-providing industries increased in private education and health services (2,700 jobs); information (600 jobs); and financial activities (400 jobs). Employment decreased in trade, transportation, and utilities (-3,600 jobs); leisure and hospitality (-1,000 jobs); other services (-400 jobs); and professional and business services (-200 jobs). Total government employment increased by 1,600 jobs over the month, with an increase in local government (2,000 jobs) and a decrease in federal government (-400 jobs).

Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 52,800 jobs from December 2024 to December 2025. The largest gain was in private education and health services (13,600 jobs). Other industries that increased in employment over the year were leisure and hospitality (12,100 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (8,500 jobs); financial activities (1,800 jobs); other services (1,500 jobs); and professional and business services (1,200 jobs). Employment decreased in trade, transportation, and utilities (-9,100 jobs); manufacturing (-5,300 jobs); and information (-1,500 jobs). Government employment increased by 30,000 jobs over the year, with increases in local (28,700 jobs) and state (6,700 jobs) government and a decrease in federal government (-5,400 jobs).

UNEMPLOYMENT

Missouri's smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased by one-tenth of a percentage point in December 2025, declining to 3.9 percent from the revised November 2025 rate of 4 percent. The December 2025 rate was three-tenths of a percentage point higher than the December 2024 rate of 3.6 percent. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 126,420 in December 2025, down by 2,456 from November.

The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate decreased in December 2025, declining by two-tenths of a percentage point to 3.3 percent from the November 2025 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 3.5 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 3.2 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for December 2025 was 4.1 percent.

Missouri's labor force participation rate was 64 percent in December 2025, 1.6 percentage points higher than the national rate of 62.4 percent. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61.5 percent in December 2025, 1.8 percentage points higher than the national rate of 59.7 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate was 3.9 percent in December 2025, 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.