The jobs picture in Missouri and Kansas continues to brighten, according to October data published Tuesday.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said the unemployment rate in Kansas shrank to 5.7 percent, down from 5.9 percent in September. The October 2012 rate compared to 6.6 percent in October 2011.

Over the 12 months, employers in the state showed a net gain of 8,300 jobs on payrolls.

On the Missouri side, the October 2012 jobless rate was 6.9 percent, the same as the month before. But that compared markedly to 8.3 percent a year earlier.

Employers in the state had a net gain of 26,800 jobs over the year, the bureau reported.

Diane Stafford, The Star