Department of Numbers

Columbia, Missouri Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Columbia rose 0.1 percentage points in September 2023 to 2.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.5 percentage points lower than the Missouri rate. The unemployment rate in Columbia peaked in April 2020 at 7.8% and is now 5.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 1.9% in March 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.5 percentage points. You can also compare Columbia unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.8% 0.0 +0.3
Missouri 2.9% +0.1 +0.3
Columbia 2.4% +0.1 +0.4
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2023 data as October metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Columbia, Missouri, National

Columbia, Missouri monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Columbia, Missouri Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Columbia peaked in April 2020 at 6,978. There are now 4,493 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,852 in May 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 633. Columbia employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Columbia, Missouri) is also available.

Unemployed Persons September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Columbia 2,485 +66 +475

Number of Unemployed Persons

Columbia, Missouri Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Missouri
Unemployment Rate		 Columbia
Unemployment Rate		 Columbia
Unemployed
October
2023		 3.9% 3.1% — —
September
2023		 3.8% 2.9% 2.4% 2,485
August
2023		 3.8% 2.8% 2.3% 2,419
July
2023		 3.5% 2.7% 2.3% 2,344
June
2023		 3.6% 2.6% 2.2% 2,248
May
2023		 3.7% 2.5% 2.1% 2,114
April
2023		 3.4% 2.5% 2.0% 2,016
March
2023		 3.5% 2.5% 1.9% 1,953
February
2023		 3.6% 2.6% 1.9% 1,953
January
2023		 3.4% 2.7% 2.0% 1,981
December
2022		 3.5% 2.7% 2.0% 2,004
November
2022		 3.6% 2.7% 2.0% 2,015

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers. ↩

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