Counties With the Highest Unemployment in Kansas

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Counties with the highest unemployment in Kansas

While today's unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Kansas using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in March 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Experts have mixed views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.

The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.

But as of April 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9%—up slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.

Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Kansas.

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#50. Marion County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,825 people (168 unemployed)

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#49. Seward County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,715 people (281 unemployed)

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#48. Jefferson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,508 people (308 unemployed)

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#47. Franklin County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,098 people (433 unemployed)

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#46. Douglas County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 67,942 people (1,938 unemployed)

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#45. Shawnee County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 93,519 people (2,730 unemployed)

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#43. Cheyenne County (tie)

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 1,151 people (34 unemployed)

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#43. Kiowa County (tie)

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,122 people (34 unemployed)

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#42. Ness County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,203 people (36 unemployed)

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#41. Greenwood County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 2,899 people (86 unemployed)

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#40. Osage County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,119 people (245 unemployed)

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#39. Cherokee County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,747 people (292 unemployed)

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#38. Sumner County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,837 people (329 unemployed)

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#37. Barton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 12,540 people (379 unemployed)

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#36. Graham County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,147 people (36 unemployed)

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#35. Rooks County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,247 people (70 unemployed)

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#34. Sherman County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,677 people (82 unemployed)

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#33. Lyon County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,740 people (521 unemployed)

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#32. Harvey County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,386 people (544 unemployed)

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#31. Miami County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,156 people (555 unemployed)

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#30. Reno County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 28,366 people (882 unemployed)

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#29. Butler County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 33,249 people (1,045 unemployed)

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#28. Lane County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 648 people (21 unemployed)

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#27. Wabaunsee County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,762 people (122 unemployed)

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#26. Leavenworth County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,639 people (1,209 unemployed)

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#25. Edwards County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,310 people (43 unemployed)

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#24. Labette County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,198 people (306 unemployed)

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#23. Sedgwick County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 259,740 people (8,602 unemployed)

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#22. Jewell County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,072 people (36 unemployed)

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#21. Woodson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,450 people (50 unemployed)

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#20. Allen County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,049 people (208 unemployed)

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#19. Montgomery County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,721 people (497 unemployed)

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#18. Cowley County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,148 people (553 unemployed)

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#17. Crawford County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,972 people (644 unemployed)

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#15. Wilson County (tie)

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,588 people (125 unemployed)

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#15. Coffey County (tie)

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,606 people (125 unemployed)

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#14. Brown County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,255 people (148 unemployed)

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#13. Dickinson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,353 people (295 unemployed)

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#12. Chase County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,156 people (43 unemployed)

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#11. Trego County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,218 people (45 unemployed)

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#10. Grant County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,698 people (100 unemployed)

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#9. Atchison County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,535 people (245 unemployed)

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#8. Morton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,074 people (41 unemployed)

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#7. Chautauqua County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,377 people (52 unemployed)

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#6. Neosho County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,087 people (229 unemployed)

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#5. Wyandotte County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 78,780 people (3,115 unemployed)

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#4. Geary County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,106 people (453 unemployed)

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#3. Stevens County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,733 people (118 unemployed)

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#2. Bourbon County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,207 people (279 unemployed)

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#1. Linn County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,381 people (204 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.