Columbia, Missouri Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Columbia fell 0.0 percentage points in March 2012 to 5.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 2.4 percentage points lower than the Missouri rate. The unemployment rate in Columbia peaked in August 2009 at 6.7% and is now 1.7 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.0% in February 2012, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Columbia unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	March 2012	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.2%	-0.1	-0.7
Missouri	7.4%	0.0	-1.3
Columbia	5.0%	0.0	-1.3

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with March 2012 data as April metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Columbia, Missouri, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Columbia, Missouri Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Columbia peaked in December 2010 at 6,293. There are now 1,340 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 4,940 in February 2012, the number of unemployed has now grown by 13. Columbia employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Columbia, Missouri) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	March 2012	Month/Month	Year/Year
Columbia	4,953	+13	-1,054

Number of Unemployed Persons

Columbia, Missouri Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Missouri Unemployment Rate	Columbia Unemployment Rate	Columbia Unemployed
April 2012	8.1%	7.3%	—	—
March 2012	8.2%	7.4%	5.0%	4,953
February 2012	8.3%	7.4%	5.0%	4,940
January 2012	8.3%	7.5%	5.1%	5,010
December 2011	8.5%	8.0%	5.5%	5,340
November 2011	8.7%	8.1%	5.7%	5,478
October 2011	8.9%	8.3%	5.9%	5,652
September 2011	9.0%	8.5%	6.0%	5,728
August 2011	9.1%	8.6%	6.2%	5,861
July 2011	9.1%	8.6%	6.3%	5,879
June 2011	9.1%	8.7%	6.4%	6,026
May 2011	9.0%	8.6%	6.4%	6,101
April 2011	9.0%	8.6%	6.3%	6,045