Updated
Updated · WIBW · Jun 23
Kansas Unemployment Falls to 3.8% as Nonfarm Payrolls Jump 5,100 in May
Updated
Updated · WIBW · Jun 23

Kansas Unemployment Falls to 3.8% as Nonfarm Payrolls Jump 5,100 in May

3 articles · Updated · WIBW · Jun 23

Summary

  • Kansas posted a 3.8% seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in May, down from 3.9% in April and matching its level from May 2025.
  • Nonfarm payrolls rose by 5,100 from April, driven by 4,600 private-sector jobs and 500 government jobs, according to preliminary state and federal estimates.
  • Leisure and hospitality led private hiring with 2,100 added jobs, while other services posted the biggest decline, losing 600.
  • The labor force participation rate slipped to 67.2% in May, even as total nonfarm employment stood 7,400 above a year earlier.
  • The Kansas Department of Labor said the next statewide labor report, covering June, is due July 17.

Insights

What is driving workers out of the Kansas labor force despite a growing number of available jobs?
With Kansas City home prices soaring, can new housing initiatives prevent an essential worker exodus from the state?