Employment and the labor force rose in Kansas in August 2019 compared to the two previous months. Kansas employment continued a trend of lower growth than the nation over the year, but has been stronger in recent months.
Data released yesterday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the United States Department of Labor, shows an improving picture for employment in Kansas for August 2019. (Click charts and tables for larger versions.)
Using seasonally adjusted data, from July 2019 to August 2019, nonfarm employment in Kansas rose by 7,900, which is 0.6 percent. Over the year, the number of Kansas nonfarm jobs for August 2019 rose by 15,500 or 1.1 percent over last August. This is using seasonally adjusted data. The non-adjusted figure is higher at 20,300, or 1.4 percent.
Over the year (August 2018 to August 2019), the Kansas labor force is down by 2,731 (0.2 percent) using seasonally adjusted data, with an increase of 0.1 percent over the last month. Non-seasonal data shows an increase of 6,941 (0.5 percent) in the labor force over the year.
The number of unemployed persons fell from July 2019 to August 2019 by 1,005, or 2.1 percent. The unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in August, down 0.1 percentage points from one year ago, and down the same amount from July.
Using seasonal data, Kansas nonfarm jobs increased by 1.09 percent over the past 12 months, while national jobs grew by 1.39 percent. Non seasonal data shows Kansas nonfarm jobs rising by 1.44 percent over the past 12 months, while national jobs grew by 1.38 percent.
Click charts and tables for larger versions.
In the following chart of showing job changes from the same month one year ago, Kansas is always below the national rate.
In the following chart showing job changes from the previous month, Kansas has outperformed the nation four of the past five months.
