Unemployment hit 14 percent in Wyandotte County during May, according to figures released today by the Kansas Department of Labor.
The figure was down from April’s 14.9 percent, KDOL reported. One year ago, in May 2019, unemployment was 3.9 percent, the KDOL reported.
The 14 percent represents 11,133 persons who were unemployed, according to the report.
Wyandotte County had the second highest unemployment rate in Kansas, with Sedgwick County (the Wichita area) reporting 14.7 percent.
In Kansas City, Kansas, the May unemployment rate was 14.1 percent, according to KDOL, representing 10,269 unemployed persons.
The KCK rate was down from 15 percent in April, KDOL reported. In May 2019, one year ago, the unemployment rate was 4 percent in KCK, according to KDOL.
Kansas City, Kansas, had the second highest unemployment rate of the larger cities in Kansas, and Wichita had the highest rate at 15.4 percent with 30,978 persons unemployed.
Overland Park had a 9.4 percent unemployment rate in May 2020, representing 10,300 unemployed persons, according to KDOL figures.
Statewide, Kansas reported an unemployment rate of 10 percent in May, a decrease from 11.9 percent in April. One year ago, in May 2019, the unemployment rate was 3.1 percent.
The state gained more than 24,000 jobs in May compared to April, according to KDOL officials.
“This follows historic job losses seen across the nation in March and April due to COVID-19,” Kansas Labor Secretary Delia Garcia said.
Seventeen percent of the jobs lost in March and April were gained back in May, according to state economists.