Counties with the highest unemployment in Missouri

Written by:
Stacker
May 3, 2024
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Counties with the highest unemployment in Missouri

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 Missouri 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 Missouri.

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#50. Wright County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 7,945 people (321 unemployed)

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#49. Randolph County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,110 people (409 unemployed)

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M. Curtis // Shutterstock

#48. Laclede County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,192 people (692 unemployed)

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Jon Kraft // Shutterstock

#47. Johnson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 23,369 people (938 unemployed)

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#46. Knox County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,702 people (69 unemployed)

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TommyBrison // Shutterstock

#45. St. Clair County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,874 people (157 unemployed)

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APN Photography // Shutterstock

#44. Grundy County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,033 people (164 unemployed)

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GoldenPhotoDesign // Shutterstock

#43. Douglas County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,244 people (217 unemployed)

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Rachael Martin // Shutterstock

#42. Cedar County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,744 people (236 unemployed)

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#41. Dent County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,385 people (262 unemployed)

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#40. Audrain County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,772 people (403 unemployed)

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Jon Kraft // Shutterstock

#39. Jackson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 366,145 people (15,046 unemployed)

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#38. Reynolds County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,702 people (114 unemployed)

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#37. Carroll County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,717 people (197 unemployed)

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#36. Sullivan County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,529 people (108 unemployed)

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#35. Clark County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,970 people (127 unemployed)

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#34. Linn County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,155 people (223 unemployed)

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#33. Vernon County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,009 people (385 unemployed)

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#32. Crawford County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,555 people (453 unemployed)

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#31. Ray County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,041 people (474 unemployed)

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#30. Oregon County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,983 people (175 unemployed)

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#29. Madison County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,250 people (233 unemployed)

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#28. McDonald County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,678 people (509 unemployed)

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#27. Barry County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,978 people (616 unemployed)

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#26. Monroe County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,791 people (172 unemployed)

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#25. Ripley County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,248 people (236 unemployed)

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#24. Texas County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,248 people (416 unemployed)

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#23. Howell County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,407 people (732 unemployed)

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#22. Schuyler County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,817 people (83 unemployed)

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#21. Pulaski County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,921 people (679 unemployed)

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#20. Hickory County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,178 people (196 unemployed)

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Lisa Fitzthum Photography // Shutterstock

#19. Camden County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,222 people (899 unemployed)

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#18. St. Francois County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,643 people (1,196 unemployed)

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#17. Shannon County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,300 people (159 unemployed)

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#16. Morgan County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,425 people (406 unemployed)

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#15. Adair County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,979 people (477 unemployed)

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E.N. May // Shutterstock

#14. Washington County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,132 people (485 unemployed)

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#13. Carter County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,417 people (119 unemployed)

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Roberto Galan // Shutterstock

#12. Stoddard County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,255 people (652 unemployed)

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#11. Butler County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,560 people (873 unemployed)

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#10. Wayne County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,785 people (244 unemployed)

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TommyBrison // Shutterstock

#9. Benton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,292 people (379 unemployed)

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#8. Mississippi County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,130 people (276 unemployed)

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#7. Stone County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 5.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,209 people (730 unemployed)

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#6. Iron County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,493 people (199 unemployed)

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#5. New Madrid County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,521 people (491 unemployed)

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#4. Taney County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 8.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 25,402 people (1,471 unemployed)

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#3. Pemiscot County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,895 people (356 unemployed)

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#2. Ozark County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,511 people (218 unemployed)

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#1. Dunklin County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,375 people (763 unemployed)

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

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