In Kansas in August 2024, the labor force rose, the number of jobs was unchanged, and the unemployment rate rose compared to the previous month. Over the year, Kansas is near the midpoint of states in job growth.
Data released from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the United States Department of Labor, shows a mostly unchanged employment picture in Kansas for August 2024 when compared to the previous month.
(Click charts and tables for larger versions.)
Using seasonally adjusted data, from Juy 2024 to August 2024, nonfarm employment in Kansas was unchanged. Over the year, the number of Kansas nonfarm jobs for August 2024 was higher by 20,000 (1.4 percent) over the same month last year. This is using seasonally adjusted data.
Over the year (August 2023 to August 2024), the Kansas labor force fell by 693 people (0.0 percent) using seasonally adjusted data from the household survey, with increase of 1,840 (0.1 percent) over the last month.
When ChatGPT looked at this table, it concluded:
In August 2024, Kansas saw some notable changes in its employment landscape:
- Labor Force Stability: The total number of people working or actively looking for work was virtually unchanged from a year ago, with just a slight decrease of less than 700 individuals.
Rise in Unemployment: Despite the stable labor force, the number of unemployed people increased by over 10,000 compared to August 2023—a 26.4% jump. This pushed the unemployment rate up from 2.6% to 3.3%.
Job Growth Plateau: Nonfarm employment (jobs excluding agriculture) grew by 20,000 positions over the past year, marking a 1.4% increase. However, there was no job growth from July to August 2024.
In summary, while Kansas added jobs over the past year, the number of people unable to find work also rose. This suggests that job creation isn’t keeping up with the number of people seeking employment, leading to a higher unemployment rate.
There are now 190,800 (15.0 percent) more jobs in Kansas than in April 2020, which is the low point since the pandemic’s start. There are 32,000 (2.2 percent) more jobs than in February 2020, just before the pandemic. These are counts of nonfarm jobs with employers in Kansas, without regard to the residence of the employee.
Considering employed people from the household survey, there are now 153,002 (11.7 percent) more working people in Kansas than in April 2020, and 1,122 (0.1 percent) more than in February 2020. The household survey counts Kansas residents with nonfarm jobs, without regard to the location of the job.
Comparing Kansas to the nation: Using seasonal data, the number of Kansas nonfarm jobs is 1.39 percent higher than 12 months ago, while nationally, the same statistic is 1.51 percent higher. Non-seasonal data shows the number of Kansas nonfarm jobs is 1.37 percent higher than 12 months ago, while nationally, the same statistic is 1.47 percent higher.
When ChatGPT examined this table of not seasonally adjusted data from the household survey, it concluded:
In August 2024, Kansas experienced some changes in its employment figures:
- Labor Force Growth: The labor force increased by 4,097 individuals compared to August 2023, a 0.3% rise, reaching a total of 1,509,785 people.
Higher Unemployment Rate: The number of unemployed persons grew by 11,617, a 25.9% increase from the previous year, bringing the unemployment rate up from 3.0% to 3.7%.
Increase in Nonfarm Employment: Nonfarm employment rose by 19,600 jobs, a 1.4% increase, totaling 1,448,400 positions in August 2024.
Overall, while Kansas saw job growth over the past year, the unemployment rate also increased. This indicates that the number of people seeking work outpaced the number of jobs added, leading to a higher unemployment rate.
Chart 1a shows job changes for Kansas and the nation from the previous month, and we can see both positive and changes for Kansas over the past year. ChatGPT looked at this chart and told me this:
This chart compares the monthly percentage change in nonfarm employment between Kansas and the United States from August 2023 to August 2024. The data is seasonally adjusted and shows fluctuations in employment growth.
- The volatility in Kansas’s employment suggests that the state’s job market is more sensitive to local factors or industry-specific issues compared to the national trend.
The sharp peaks and valleys in Kansas could imply temporary booms followed by corrections or job losses, while the national trend’s steadiness reflects more consistent economic conditions across diverse sectors and regions.
This inconsistency in Kansas could pose challenges for workers and businesses, as unpredictable employment patterns make long-term planning more difficult.
In summary, while Kansas experienced greater job growth during certain months, it also faced more dramatic declines, indicating a less stable employment situation compared to the broader U.S.
Chart 1b shows job changes for Kansas and the nation from the same month one year ago. Growth in Kansas is lower than the nation.
In Chart 3, showing unemployment rates for Kansas and the nation, we see that the rate in Kansas is lower than the national rate, as it had been before the pandemic. The unemployment rate in Kansas and the nation is slowly rising.
Chart 2a shows monthly changes in the labor force for Kansas and the nation. The Kansas labor force has both expanded and contracted since the pandemic, as has the national labor force.
For industry groups, chart 6b shows the number of employees in various industries in August 2023 and August 2024.
Chart 6a uses the same data but shows the percent change for the same period. When I asked ChatGPT about this data, it provided this analysis:
In the table comparing jobs by industry from August 2023 to August 2024, we can identify which industries grew and which declined based on the percentage change:
Industries that Grew:
- Construction: Grew by 3.54% (2,400 more jobs), indicating strong growth in this sector.
Education and Health Services: Increased by 4.34% (9,000 additional jobs), showing significant growth in this essential sector.
Other Services: Saw the highest percentage increase, growing by 4.55% (2,400 more jobs).
Financial Activities: Grew by 2.49% (1,900 more jobs), reflecting positive momentum in this industry.
Total Nonfarm: Increased slightly by 1.39% (20,000 jobs), reflecting overall growth across industries.
Total Private: Rose by 1.56% (18,500 jobs), indicating overall private sector expansion.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities: Increased by 1.27% (3,500 more jobs), showing stable growth.
Government: Grew by 0.59% (1,500 additional jobs), reflecting moderate expansion.
Industries that Declined:
Mining and Logging: Declined by 1.59% (100 fewer jobs), reflecting a small decrease.
Manufacturing: Dropped slightly by 0.23% (400 fewer jobs), indicating a minor decline.
Information: Saw a sharper decline of 2.75% (500 fewer jobs), suggesting struggles in this sector.
Leisure and Hospitality: Dropped by 0.38% (500 fewer jobs), indicating a slight downturn.
Professional and Business Services: Although it added 800 jobs, the percentage increase was minimal at 0.45%, meaning it lagged behind other sectors in terms of growth.
Summary:
Most sectors in Kansas showed positive growth over the year, with Construction, Education and Health Services, and Other Services leading the way. However, Mining and Logging, Manufacturing, Information, and Leisure and Hospitality saw declines, indicating challenges in these areas. The overall employment trend in Kansas was upward, with the private sector and nonfarm employment both seeing modest gains.
Kansas ranks twenty-eights among the states and the District of Columbia in job growth over the past year, and thirty-third for growth over the past month. The following chart shows the monthly and annual change in the number of jobs in the states and DC, along with the rank.
Chart 8b shows job change state ranks over time. In this example, Kansas is highlighted.
The report for this month from the Kansas Department of Labor is here. The report from BLS may be found here. It appears there are no news releases or social media posts from Governor Kelly on this topic.
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