Bureau of Labor Statistics: Missouri unemployment - May 2009

by: Michael Bersin

Sat Jun 20, 2009 at 15:46:42 PM CDT

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for May 2009:

...Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia recorded statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate increases in May. Michigan reported the largest of these (+1.2 percentage points), followed by Rhode Island (+1.0 point) and Missouri and West Virginia (+0.9 point each)...

The percentage unemployment for Missouri, compared to a year ago:

Missouri
May 2008 - 5.8%
May 2009 (preliminary) - 9.0%
Over-the-year rate change (preliminary) - 3.2%

The actual numbers (seasonally adjusted):

Missouri
Civilian labor force (Numbers in thousands)
May 2008 - 3,010.3
March 2009 - 3,014.0
April 2009 - 3,008.4
May 2009 (preliminary) - 3,011.6
Unemployed (Numbers in thousands)
May 2008 - 174.1
March 2009 - 261.7
April 2009 - 242.5
May 2009 (preliminary) - 272.4
Unemployed (Percent of labor force)
May 2008 - 5.8%
March 2009 - 8.7%
April 2009 - 8.1%
May 2009 (preliminary) - 9.0%

[emphasis added]