KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Wichita State’s Center for Economic Development and Business Research projects a modest increase in Kansas employment during the second quarter 2021, according to its latest forecast.
After shedding more than 53,000 jobs in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the job market is strengthening again with more than 9,000 jobs expected to be added, mostly in the service sector and trade, transportation and utilities.
While statewide growth is pegged at 0.66%, the forecast calls for double that increase in the Kansas City region, where job growth is expected around 1.34% — or by a little more than 14,000 jobs.
That still represents a net job loss of more than 28,000 jobs since before the pandemic, when Kansas had been in the midst of a record low run in unemployment.
The Kansas City region was expected to see gains across the board in the production (1.14%); trade, transportation and utilities (1.55%); service (1.51%) and government (0.61%) sectors.