Metro area unemployment rate declines

The unemployment rate for the Springfield metropolitan statistical area remained declined to 4.5 percent in August from 5.1 in July, according to preliminary figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The August unemployment rate was 0.8 percentage points lower than the same month a year ago.

The metropolitan area includes Greene, Christian, Webster, Dallas and Polk counties. The workforce was made up of 227,906 people in August, with 10,352 unemployed — compared to 233,037 and 11,818, respectively, in July.

The August unemployment rate for the Springfield area tied for the 121st-lowest rate out of 387 metropolitan areas in the country. Fargo, North Dakota, led the nation with a 2.2 percent unemployment rate, while Yuma, Arizona, had an unemployment rate of 26.9 percent.

The unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in Missouri in July, and 5.1 percent nationally.

Missouri’s metro unemployment rates in August

• Columbia: 3.7 percent

• Jefferson City: 4.5 percent

• Springfield: 4.5 percent

• Joplin: 4.6 percent

• St. Joseph: 4.9 percent

• St. Louis: 5.1 percent

• Cape Girardeau: 5.0 percent

• Kansas City: 5.2 percent