Cole County, MO jobs, unemployment and layoffs
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Show me jobs near meCole County economy
2.7%
unemployment, Sep 2026
2.8% the month before
40,672
in the labor force
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
76,924
people in Cole County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
$73,273
median household income
Source: Census ACS
44%
of workers in white-collar occupations
Management, business, financial and professional; Census ACS
Where Cole County ranks
Where Cole County placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #8Counties with the most job openings per unemployed person in the Midwest10 per 100 · of 69
- #17Counties with the most job centers per unemployed person in the Midwest9.1 per 10,000 · of 100
- #21Best counties for laid-off professionals in the Midwest59 / 100 · of 68
- #22Best county job markets for job seekers in the Midwest64 / 100 · of 68
Cole County outlook: Steady
Built from public Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census figures. It describes the area, not any one employer in it.
- Private-sector jobs down 0.1% from 2022 to 2025
- Population up 1.7% from 2020 to 2025
- Unemployment 2.7%, down 0.1 points from a year ago
- Sectors adding the most jobs: construction (+507 jobs)
- Sectors losing the most jobs: retail (−535 jobs)
Learn and get funded in Cole County
- Which AI skills each kind of job asks for, with the pay premium.
- Your local workforce board and American Job Centers: training vouchers and re-employment help.
- Grants and funding for job seekers, ranked for your state and situation.
- Unemployment benefits by state, if you are between jobs.
Cole County layoffs
No layoff notices naming Cole County in the last 12 months are on file. The WARN Act covers employers with 100 or more workers, so smaller layoffs are not in it.
Colleges in Cole County
| College | City | Type | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln University | Jefferson City | Public 4-year | 1,000–4,999 |
Workforce development and job centers
The public workforce board and American Job Centers serving Cole County. They offer free help with job search, training and filing for benefits.
Laid off in Missouri? How to file for unemployment in Missouri (steps, weekly amount and the appeal deadline).
- Central Workforce Development Board
Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Camden, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Howard, Laclede, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Morgan, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski, Washington
Capital City Job Center
Jefferson City · Comprehensive · 573-526-8115
8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Thursday; 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Friday
Other Missouri counties
Laid off or looking for work in Cole County?
See what to do first and the jobs open near you.
See your options after a layoffSources: Census Bureau and BLS (county unemployment is not seasonally adjusted); layoff notices from Missouri’s published record; job counts from our live job board; IPEDS for colleges; CareerOneStop for workforce boards and job centers. Missouri unemployment benefits and severance rules.
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