Missouri continues to post a lower unemployment rate than the nation as a whole.

The Show Me State's 3.8% September jobless rate, released last week, is a full percentage point lower than the U.S. employment figure of 4.8%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Seasonally adjusted, Missouri employment went up by 7,500 jobs in September, helping to push the overall unemployment numbers down by two-tenths of a percentage point, from 4.0% in August.

Year-to-year, Missouri gained 70,800 jobs since September 2020, continuing the state's recovery from COVID-19 related layoffs. Gains in service-providing industries, hit hard in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, paced the increase.

For example, leisure and hospitality jobs were up by nearly 30,000 in the 12-month period and professional and business services employment surged by 23,500 jobs.

In the four-state region, Missouri currently boasts the lowest unemployment rate.

Illinois, Tennessee and Kentucky reported September jobless rates of 6.8%, 4.4% and 4.3%, respectively.

"Thanks to a common sense approach (Missouri's) economy remains strong," Gov. Mike Parson said on Twitter.

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