Photo Courtesy of KDOL

Preliminary estimates reported by the Labor Market Information Division of the Kansas Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics show a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.8% in December. This is unchanged from November. The labor force participation rate for Kansas increased to 67.5% in December.

Locally, the December unemployment rate in Clay County was at 2.9%. Across the area, the December jobless rate in Dickinson County was at 3.3%. Cloud County was sitting at 2.9%. Marshall County showed a rate of 3.4%. Republic County was at 2.8%. And Washington County came in at 2.9%.

Seasonally adjusted job estimates for Kansas indicate total nonfarm payroll employment decreased by 4,500 from November. Total nonfarm includes private sector and government employers. Private sector jobs decreased by 5,000 over the month, while government jobs increased by 500.