Unemployment numbers are up slightly in Manhattan. 5.2 percent was reported in the Manhattan metro area for May, compared to 4.9 percent the month before. However that number is lower than last May, which showed 5.6 percent in 2011. The metro area includes Riley, Pottawatomie, and Geary counties.
The city of Manhattan had a 4.5 percent unemployment rate, also higher than 4.2 percent in April of this year, but lower than last year’s 4.7 percent.
Two area counties also showed an increase, including Riley county with 4.6 percent and Pottawatomie county with 5.1. percent. Geary County’s remained the same as the montdh before at 6.8 percent and Clay county was actually down a tenth of a percent at 3.9 percent.
The Manhattan metro area still has the lowest unemployment rate when compared to the five other metro areas in the state.The city of Manhattan still has the fifth lowest unemployment rate in the state when looking at 16 cities the Kansas Labor force reports on. Leawood has the lowest rate of 3.7 percent, followed by Garden City with 4.2, Dodge City with 4.3, and Shawnee with 4.4.
