Wednesday, October 21 St. Louis
  1. Home
  2. Statistics
  3. St. Louis
  4. Economy & jobs
  5. Labour force
Economy & jobs Statistics · Area

Labour force in St. Louis

1990 – 2025 · 36 data points 5 of 115 · Regions of Missouri Updated Oct 21, 2026

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1990 – 2025

Labour force, 1990 – 2025 people
−1.4% since 2015

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1990 – 2025

Compared with Labour force · people
St. Louis 156K
Missouri 3.2M

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics

The series at a glance St. Louis · 1990 – 2025
Latest value 156,226 · 2025
First value 181,265 · 1990
Highest 181,265 · 1990
Lowest 155,422 · 2022
Average change −0.4% a year on average
Data points 36

By year

All years · 1990 – 2025

YearSt. LouisChange Missouri
2025 156,226 +0.5% 3.2M
2024 155,476 −0.4% 3.1M
2023 156,164 +0.5% 3.1M
2022 155,422 −2.4% 3.1M
2021 159,197 −2.1% 3M
2020 162,641 −1.9% 3M
2019 165,730 +0.2% 3.1M
2018 165,426 −1.7% 3M
2017 168,312 −2.4% 3.1M
2016 172,529 +8.9% 3.1M
2015 158,496 −0.5% 3.1M
2014 159,313 +0.2% 3M
2013 159,031 −0.5% 3M
2012 159,752 −2.1% 3M
2011 163,152 −0.4% 3M
2010 163,729 +3.0% 3M
2009 158,943 +0.4% 3.1M
2008 158,366 −0.1% 3.1M
2007 158,545 +1.0% 3.1M
2006 157,032 −0.2% 3M
2005 157,337 −2.5% 3M
2004 161,309 −0.0% 3M
2003 161,311 −1.0% 3M
2002 162,999 +0.4% 3M
2001 162,424 +0.6% 3M
2000 161,398 +3.7% 3M
1999 155,683 −2.6% 2.9M
1998 159,843 −0.8% 2.9M
1997 161,202 −2.8% 2.9M
1996 165,793 −1.4% 2.9M
1995 168,195 −0.6% 2.8M
1994 169,267 −1.1% 2.8M
1993 171,144 −2.1% 2.7M
1992 174,726 −2.8% 2.7M
1991 179,667 −0.9% 2.6M
1990 181,265 2.6M

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 1990 – 2025

Ranking · Regions of Missouri

2017 · Place 1 is the highest value.

#TerritoryLabour force
1 St. Louis County 517K
2 Jackson County 371K
3 St. Charles County 217K
4 St. Louis city 168K
5 Greene County 145K
6 Clay County 133K
7 Jefferson County 117K
8 Boone County 98,127
9 Jasper County 58,216
10 Platte County 55,550
11 Cass County 55,143
12 Franklin County 51,049
13 Buchanan County 41,443
14 Christian County 41,291
15 Cape Girardeau County 40,188
16 Cole County 37,921
17 Taney County 28,675
18 St. Francois County 28,408
19 Lincoln County 27,754
20 Newton County 26,676
21 Johnson County 24,738
22 Pettis County 20,700
23 Callaway County 20,628
24 Phelps County 19,639
25 Pulaski County 19,183
…

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2017

What it means

Residents who work or are looking for work.

How it is calculated

Employed plus unemployed residents, annual average.