Barton County Jobless Rate Edges Up to 3.4%
County outperforms state's 3.8% rate as job market stays tight
Barton County posted an unemployment rate of 3.4 percent in November, below the statewide rate of 3.8 percent but still below the national average of 4.6 percent, according to data released by the Kansas Department of Labor. The local rate rose from 3.3 percent a year ago, an increase of 0.1 percentage points.
The area's labor force totaled 12,392 workers in November, with 11,972 employed and 420 actively seeking work. Health care, education, and oil field services provide the foundation for Great Bend's economy.