TOPEKA – According to preliminary estimates from by the Kansas Department of Labor and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the November seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the Sunflower State of 3.2 percent was down from 3.3 October and down from 3.5 in a year ago. This compares to a national jobless rate of 3.8 percent.

In Kansas, the KDOL reported, of a total workforce of 1,487,125, 48,319 were out of work.

Closer to home in Barton County, the rate was 3 percent in November, with 402 jobless out of a labor force of 13,553. This compares to 2.9 percent in October and 3.3 percent in November 2017.

“Kansas is heading for a strong finish to 2018 as the number of private sector jobs in November reached 1,169,200, a new all-time high,” said Secretary Lana Gordon.

Seasonally adjusted job estimates indicate total Kansas nonfarm jobs increased by 1,500 from October. Private sector jobs, a subset of total nonfarm jobs, increased by 1,500 from the previous month.

“Labor market conditions continued to improve in November with a notable increase in real wages and stronger hiring among retailers than last year at this time,” said Senior Labor Economist, Tyler Tenbrink.

Since November 2017, Kansas gained 19,700 seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs and 16,900 private sector jobs.

BLS revised seasonally adjusted preliminary total nonfarm jobs estimates for October upward by 1,700 jobs, from 1,425,400 to 1,427,100. Seasonally adjusted private sector jobs were revised upward by 1,300 jobs, from 1,166,400 to 1,167,700.

Looking nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged from October at 3.7 percent but was 0.4 percentage point lower than in November 2017, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.

Unemployment rates were lower in November in six states, higher in two states, and stable in 42 states and the District of Columbia, according to the BLS. Eighteen states had jobless rate decreases from a year earlier and 32 states and the District had little or no change. 

Hawaii and Iowa had the lowest unemployment rates in November, 2.4 percent each. The rates in Idaho (2.6 percent), Missouri (3.0 percent), and New York (3.9 percent) set new series lows (all state series begin in 1976). Alaska had the highest jobless rate at 6.3 percent. 

In total, 13 states had unemployment rates lower than the U.S. figure of 3.7 percent, 12 states and the District of Columbia had higher rates, and 25 states had rates that were not appreciably different from that of the nation.