Missouri ranked sixth in the nation for job growth from September to October, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' "Regional and State Employment and Unemployment" report.
In addition to high rankings on the national scale, Missouri also pulled ahead of neighboring states, ranking first in month-to-month growth and second in annual growth from October 2015.
Missouri was one of 11 states with significant month-to-month employment increases from September 2016.
Missouri's place at the top of the charts compared to surrounding states is also an important economic indicator, Bill Niblack of the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center said in a news release.
"We're all part of the central U.S., and the other states are more similar to Missouri than larger states like California, Texas or Florida," he said. "When we see Missouri outpacing nearby states, we are seeing good substantial change."
Missouri's October jobs report showed the highest employment in state history at 2,838,500 jobs, according to seasonally adjusted data from the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
Missouri's nonfarm payroll employment grew by 9,300 jobs in October. The state has gained 50,900 jobs over the past 12 months.
Missouri's unemployment rate also edged down to 5.1 percent in October.