According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for April 2009:
…Two states, Missouri and Nebraska, posted significant jobless rate decreases from the prior month (-0.6 and -0.3 percentage point, respectively)…
The percentage unemployment for Missouri, compared to a year ago:
Missouri
April 2008 – 5.6%
April 2009 (preliminary) – 8.1%
Over-the-year rate change (preliminary) – 2.5%
The actual numbers (seasonally adjusted):
Missouri
Civilian labor force (Numbers in thousands)
April 2008 – 3,010.4
February 2009 – 3,019.7
March 2009 – 3,014.0
April 2009 (preliminary) – 3,008.5Unemployed (Numbers in thousands)
April 2008 – 169.9
February 2009 – 251.9
March 2009 – 261.7
April 2009 (preliminary) – 242.9Unemployed (Percent of labor force)
April 2008 – 5.6%
February 2009 – 8.3%
March 2009 – 8.7%
April 2009 (preliminary) – 8.1%
[emphasis added]
Note that the total number of employed in the civilian labor force still dropped from March 2009 to April 2009.