August 2025 Monthly Jobs Report…

Missouri nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 5,900 jobs in August 2025, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged from July's rate of 4.1 percent. Private industry employment decreased by 2,900 jobs and government employment decreased by 3,000 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 33,900 jobs from August 2024 to August 2025, and the unemployment rate increased by four-tenths of a percentage point, from 3.7 percent in August 2024 to 4.1 percent in August 2025.

EMPLOYMENT

Missouri's nonfarm payroll employment was 3,021,800 in August 2025, down by 5,900 from the revised July 2025 figure. The July 2025 total was revised downward by 1,700 jobs from the preliminary estimate.

Goods-producing industries increased by 800 jobs over the month, with mining, logging, and construction gaining 1,300 jobs and manufacturing declining by 500 jobs. Private service-providing industries declined by 3,700 jobs between July 2025 and August 2025. Employment in private service-providing industries decreased in private education and health services (-4,100 jobs); professional and business services (-2,700 jobs); and trade, transportation, and utilities (-500 jobs). Employment increased in leisure and hospitality (2,100 jobs); information (1,200 jobs); other services (200 jobs); and financial activities (100 jobs). Total government employment decreased by 3,000 jobs over the month, with decreases in local (-2,700 jobs), federal (-200 jobs), and state government (-100 jobs).

Over the year, total payroll employment increased by 33,900 jobs from August 2024 to August 2025. The largest gains were in private education and health services (19,600 jobs); leisure and hospitality (11,200 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (4,900 jobs); and other services (1,200 jobs). Employment decreased in professional and business services (-7,300 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-2,700 jobs); information (-2,500 jobs); manufacturing (-900 jobs); and financial activities (-300 jobs). Government employment increased by 10,700 jobs over the year, with increases in local (9,600 jobs) and state (3,200 jobs) government and a decrease in federal government (-2,100 jobs).

UNEMPLOYMENT

Missouri's smoothed seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained steady in August 2025 at 4.1 percent. The August 2025 rate was four-tenths of a percentage point higher than the August 2024 rate of 3.7 percent. The estimated number of unemployed Missourians was 131,536 in August 2025, up by 1,757 from the revised July total of 129,779.

The state's not-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate decreased in August 2025, declining by two-tenths of a percentage point to 4.5 percent from the July 2025 not-seasonally-adjusted rate of 4.7 percent. A year ago, the not-seasonally-adjusted rate was 3.9 percent. The corresponding not-seasonally-adjusted national rate for August 2025 was 4.5 percent.

Missouri's labor force participation rate was 63.6 percent in August 2025, 1.3 percentage points higher than the national rate of 62.3 percent. Missouri's employment-population ratio was 61 percent in August 2025, 1.4 percentage points higher than the national rate of 59.6 percent. Missouri's unemployment rate was 4.1 percent in August 2025, two-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.

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