The number of Wichitans working grew 6,000 jobs from a year ago

In March, about 6,000 more Wichita area workers said they were working, on a not-seasonally-adjusted basis, than a year ago, for a total of about 300,200, according to the Kansas Department of Labor. The unemployment rate in the Wichita area was 4.5 percent, down from 5.0 percent a year ago

In a separate survey, however, Wichita area employers reported just 2,200 more jobs than a year ago, to 296,400.

In the state, the number of people who reported they were working in March was up about 18,000 compared with a year ago, on a not-seasonally-adjusted basis. The state unemployment rate was 3.9 percent.

But the number of jobs that employers reported was actually down 1,600 between March and March of 2015.

Also, the labor participation rate statewide, a measure of the percentage of people who are working, has risen from a year ago. It rose to 68.3 percent from 67.8 percent — part of a recent reversal of the long-standing state and national decline in the percentage of people working.

This story was originally published April 15, 2016 at 11:25 AM with the headline "The number of Wichitans working grew 6,000 jobs from a year ago."