MISSOURI — While today’s unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.

Experts are mixed in their views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession. The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.

But as of September 2023, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—equal to the previous month, and up about 0.3 percentage points from the same time last year. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.6% in Maryland to 5.4% in Nevada.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Missouri using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in September 2023, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

#50. Pike County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,256 people (193 unemployed)

#49. Ray County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
— 1-month change: Down 2.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,111 people (300 unemployed)

#48. Laclede County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 17,193 people (470 unemployed)

#47. Johnson County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 23,284 people (633 unemployed)

#46. Jasper County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 58,699 people (1,573 unemployed)

#45. Knox County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,748 people (49 unemployed)

#44. Sullivan County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,535 people (70 unemployed)

#43. Maries County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
— 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,945 people (109 unemployed)

#42. Barton County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,390 people (149 unemployed)

#41. Wright County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
— 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,832 people (220 unemployed)

#40. Crawford County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,713 people (300 unemployed)

#39. Polk County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,815 people (414 unemployed)

#38. Douglas County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,231 people (152 unemployed)

#37. Morgan County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,671 people (255 unemployed)

#36. Audrain County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,791 people (285 unemployed)

#35. Camden County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 19,991 people (574 unemployed)

#34. Schuyler County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Down 1.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,836 people (55 unemployed)

#33. Clark County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,023 people (90 unemployed)

#32. Oregon County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,863 people (115 unemployed)

#31. Cedar County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,835 people (176 unemployed)

#30. Dent County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,205 people (185 unemployed)

#29. Vernon County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,298 people (280 unemployed)

#28. Adair County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,963 people (299 unemployed)

#27. Washington County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,088 people (300 unemployed)

#26. Stoddard County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 13,155 people (398 unemployed)

#25. Barry County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,313 people (432 unemployed)

#24. Jackson County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 369,137 people (10,919 unemployed)

#23. Mississippi County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,199 people (163 unemployed)

#22. New Madrid County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,422 people (258 unemployed)

#21. Pulaski County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 14,799 people (459 unemployed)

#20. Taney County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 26,511 people (816 unemployed)

#19. Shannon County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,371 people (109 unemployed)

#18. St. Clair County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,940 people (128 unemployed)

#17. Randolph County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,270 people (324 unemployed)

#16. Stone County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 13,754 people (441 unemployed)

#15. Howell County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 16,159 people (519 unemployed)

#14. St. Francois County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 25,519 people (810 unemployed)

#13. Madison County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,273 people (176 unemployed)

#12. Texas County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,396 people (312 unemployed)

#11. St. Louis city

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 151,322 people (4,921 unemployed)

#10. Linn County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,191 people (180 unemployed)

#9. Ripley County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,267 people (191 unemployed)

#8. Benton County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,298 people (264 unemployed)

#7. Carter County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,430 people (90 unemployed)

#6. Iron County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Down 1.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,434 people (128 unemployed)

#5. Wayne County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,723 people (177 unemployed)

#4. Ozark County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,535 people (134 unemployed)

#3. Butler County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 17,690 people (674 unemployed)

#2. Dunklin County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
— 1-month change: Down 1.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,204 people (449 unemployed)

#1. Pemiscot County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
— 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,927 people (261 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.