Counties with the highest unemployment in Kansas

Written by:
Stacker
April 8, 2024
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Counties with the highest unemployment in Kansas

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.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Kansas using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in February 2024, 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.

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 March 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—down slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.

Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Kansas.

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#50. Clay County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,678 people (114 unemployed)

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Brandy S Imlay // Shutterstock

#49. Doniphan County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 4,003 people (124 unemployed)

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#48. Jefferson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,489 people (321 unemployed)

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#47. Franklin County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,056 people (466 unemployed)

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#46. Douglas County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 67,820 people (2,071 unemployed)

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#45. Cheyenne County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,229 people (39 unemployed)

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#44. Edwards County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,355 people (43 unemployed)

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#43. Rooks County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,312 people (75 unemployed)

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#42. Cloud County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 3,673 people (118 unemployed)

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#41. Seward County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,739 people (309 unemployed)

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#40. Cherokee County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,814 people (317 unemployed)

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#39. Sumner County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 10,833 people (343 unemployed)

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Sabrina Janelle Gordon // Shutterstock

#38. Butler County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 33,035 people (1,072 unemployed)

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#37. Shawnee County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 92,795 people (2,958 unemployed)

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#36. Lane County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 697 people (23 unemployed)

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#35. Jewell County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.0 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,128 people (37 unemployed)

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#34. Sherman County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,776 people (92 unemployed)

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#33. Osage County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,136 people (268 unemployed)

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Stephanie L Bishop // Shutterstock

#32. Barton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 12,669 people (420 unemployed)

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#31. Lyon County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,753 people (548 unemployed)

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#30. Miami County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,041 people (600 unemployed)

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#29. Reno County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 28,467 people (953 unemployed)

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#28. Kiowa County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,159 people (39 unemployed)

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#27. Labette County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,242 people (314 unemployed)

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#26. Montgomery County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,665 people (492 unemployed)

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Sabrina Janelle Gordon // Shutterstock

#25. Cowley County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,119 people (548 unemployed)

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#24. Harvey County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,337 people (587 unemployed)

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#23. Leavenworth County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,341 people (1,275 unemployed)

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#22. Chautauqua County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,388 people (48 unemployed)

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#21. Woodson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,468 people (52 unemployed)

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#20. Wabaunsee County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,797 people (132 unemployed)

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#19. Brown County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,353 people (154 unemployed)

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#18. Allen County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 6,102 people (216 unemployed)

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#17. Dickinson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,527 people (297 unemployed)

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#16. Sedgwick County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 257,668 people (9,066 unemployed)

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#15. Chase County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,175 people (42 unemployed)

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#14. Grant County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,785 people (99 unemployed)

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#13. Wilson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,655 people (132 unemployed)

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#12. Crawford County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,965 people (675 unemployed)

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#11. Graham County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,191 people (45 unemployed)

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#10. Morton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 1.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,104 people (43 unemployed)

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#9. Neosho County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,124 people (243 unemployed)

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#8. Atchison County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,598 people (265 unemployed)

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#7. Bourbon County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,156 people (252 unemployed)

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#6. Wyandotte County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 78,026 people (3,186 unemployed)

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#5. Stevens County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 2.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,817 people (118 unemployed)

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#4. Coffey County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,641 people (157 unemployed)

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#3. Geary County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,165 people (494 unemployed)

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#2. Trego County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.9 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,262 people (59 unemployed)

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#1. Linn County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,404 people (220 unemployed)

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

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