How many jobs were lost in Kansas last month?
Refreshed monthly
Kansas lost 2,100 jobs in September 2026, ranking it 40th among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 1,500 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
-2.1K
month to month change in number of jobs (September 2026)
40th
rank among states in monthly job growth (September 2026)
Kansas’s job loss of 2,100 in September 2026 was a directional change from the previous month. The latest monthly job change was down from the 1,100 gain in August 2026.
During the latest five year period (October 2021 to September 2026), Kansas gained jobs in 42 out of 60 months. September 2026 had the 12th-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in July 2022 (+15,200) while job growth was weakest in February 2023 (-4,900).
There were 2,100 fewer jobs in September 2026 in Kansas than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, October 2021–September 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Kansas sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in September 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in September 2026 were professional, scientific, and technical services, wholesale trade, and health care and social assistance. Professional, scientific, and technical services added 600 jobs, more than the entire economy. Wholesale trade gained 600 jobs, while health care and social assistance added 500. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were other services, finance and insurance, and transportation, warehousing, and utilities. other services lost 1,400 jobs in September 2026, while finance and insurance lost 900 jobs and transportation, warehousing, and utilities lost 900 jobs.
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The health care and social assistance sector gained 500 jobs during September 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Kansas (September 2026)
How has Kansas's job growth changed over time?
In 2025, Kansas gained an average of 42 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 1,267, and the lowest since 2020. The 2025 average ranks as 16th-highest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 5,100 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 3,000 on average every month in 2022.
In 2025, Kansas gained an average of 42 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among four metro areas primarily in Kansas during September 2026 ranged from a loss of 2,200 jobs in the Wichita, KS area to a gain of 700 jobs in the Lawrence, KS area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Kansas
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +700 | |
| 2. | -200 | |
| 3. | -500 | |
| 4. | -2,200 | |
| 5. | -4,200 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
