11.15.24 – Kansas Reflector- By: Tim Carpenter
The unemployment rate in Kansas increased to 3.4% in October, after a two-month plateau at 3.3%, to reach the highest level in two years.
TOPEKA — The Kansas unemployment reached 3.4% in October following a two-month period in which the rate held at 3.3%, officials said Friday.
The Kansas Department of Labor and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said preliminary estimates showed a 0.1% escalation from September to October. It contributed to the substantive rise from 2.6% in October 2023.
Kansas lost 1,500 private-sector jobs and gained 1,300 government jobs in October, the monthly report said. The October report showed loss of 1,100 jobs in the hospitality and leisure industry and the loss of 900 positions in the transportation, trade and utility sector.
In the past year, however, Kansas has gained 15,900 private-sector jobs and 5,000 government positions.
“Job estimates for the private sector in Kansas have increased by 1.3% over the year, despite a small decline over the month in October,” said Emilie Doerksen, an economist with the state Department of Labor.
The unemployment rate in Kansas ranged from 2.6% to 2.8% from June 2022 through April. The rate steadily grew from 2.7% in March to 3.3% in August and September.
Renewal of the climb in October meant more than 51,000 Kansans looking for a job failed to secure employment. During October, 1.46 million Kansans held jobs.
The U.S. unemployment rate in October was 4.1%. While the national labor force participation rate stood at 62.6% in October, officials said the rate in Kansas was 66.4%.
Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 38 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.
Kansas Reflector is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.