How many jobs were added in Missouri last month?
Refreshed monthly
Missouri gained 2,100 jobs in August 2026, ranking it 21st 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 2,600 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 (August 2026)
21st
rank among states in monthly job growth (August 2026)
August 2026's gain of 2,100 jobs was the 5th consecutive month of positive job growth in Missouri. Monthly job growth was down from the 6,800 new jobs in July 2026.
During the latest five year period (September 2021 to August 2026), Missouri gained jobs in 43 out of 60 months. August 2026 had the 26th-lowest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+21,500) while job growth was weakest in January 2025 (-23,600).
There were 2,100 more jobs in August 2026 in Missouri than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, September 2021–August 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Missouri sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in August 2026?
The three sectors with the highest job growth in August 2026 were construction, private educational services, and retail trade. Construction added 2,200 jobs, more than the entire economy. Private educational services gained 1,200 jobs, while retail trade added 700. The remaining sectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were durable goods, health care and social assistance, and information. Durable goods lost 1,400 jobs in August 2026, while health care and social assistance lost 1,100 jobs and information lost 700 jobs.
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The health care and social assistance sector lost 1,100 jobs during August 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Missouri (August 2026)
How has Missouri's job growth changed over time?
In 2025, Missouri lost an average of 583 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly increase of 1,125, and the lowest since 2020. The 2025 average ranks as fourth-lowest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 8,100 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 5,000 on average every month in 2015.
In 2025, Missouri lost an average of 583 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among eight metro areas primarily in Missouri during August 2026 ranged from a loss of 900 jobs in the Columbia, MO area to a gain of 3,200 jobs in the Kansas City, MO area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Missouri
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +3,200 | |
| 2. | +1,800 | |
| 3. | +300 | |
| 4. | +200 | |
| 5. | +100 | |
| 6. | +0 | |
| 7. | +0 | |
| 8. | -900 |
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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.
