County Unemployment Fell To 3.2 Percent In September

Unemployment in Crawford County dropped significantly to 3.2% in September 2024, marking a sharp improvement from July’s 5.2% rate, according to the latest figures from the Missouri Department of Labor. 

This decline comes after a summer that saw the county experience its highest unemployment rate since June 2021.

The September report shows there were 31 initial unemployment claims in Crawford County, a decrease from the 46 claims filed in July. The county’s unemployment rate had hovered in the 4% range earlier in the year, dipping as low as 3.7% in April before rising to 4.4% in May and 4.8% in June.

While Crawford County's September rate reflects a return to healthier employment levels, it remains above the 1.8% low recorded in September 2022.

Neighboring Counties

Neighboring counties also saw improvements in unemployment rates in September. Dent County reported a rate of 3.3%, down from 5.4% in July. Franklin and Gasconade counties recorded some of the region’s lowest rates, each at 2.7%.

Iron County, which consistently experiences higher unemployment than the state average, reported a rate of 4.5% in September, a significant drop from 7.4% in July. Meanwhile, Phelps County had the region’s lowest rate at 2.5%, and Washington County posted 3.4%.