Department of Numbers

Columbia, Missouri Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Columbia rose 0.1 percentage points in November 2023 to 2.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points lower than the Missouri rate. The unemployment rate in Columbia peaked in April 2020 at 7.8% and is now 5.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 1.9% in March 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.7 percentage points. You can also compare Columbia unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
Missouri 3.2% +0.1 +0.5
Columbia 2.6% +0.1 +0.6
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with November 2023 data as December metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Columbia, Missouri, National

Columbia, Missouri monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Columbia, Missouri Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Columbia peaked in April 2020 at 6,978. There are now 4,335 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,852 in May 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 791. Columbia employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Columbia, Missouri) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Columbia 2,643 +32 +628

Number of Unemployed Persons

Columbia, Missouri Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Missouri
Unemployment Rate		 Columbia
Unemployment Rate		 Columbia
Unemployed
December
2023		 3.7% — — —
November
2023		 3.7% 3.2% 2.6% 2,643
October
2023		 3.8% 3.1% 2.5% 2,611
September
2023		 3.8% 2.9% 2.4% 2,485
August
2023		 3.8% 2.8% 2.3% 2,419
July
2023		 3.5% 2.7% 2.3% 2,344
June
2023		 3.6% 2.6% 2.2% 2,248
May
2023		 3.7% 2.5% 2.1% 2,114
April
2023		 3.4% 2.5% 2.0% 2,016
March
2023		 3.5% 2.5% 1.9% 1,953
February
2023		 3.6% 2.6% 1.9% 1,953
January
2023		 3.4% 2.7% 2.0% 1,981

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers. ↩

Data on deptofnumbers.com is for informational purposes only. No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is offered or implied. Nothing on this site constitutes investment advice. Contact ben@deptofnumbers.com if you have any questions, comments or suggestions. Privacy policy.