The employment-population ratio has varied significantly across different areas in Kansas over the last fourteen years. Some counties have seen sharp declines, while others have been slowly growing.
Outside of the major population centers, Kansas has maintained a largely constant employment-population ratio since the recession. The level of the ratio is very similar to the pre-recessionary period from 2002 to 2005. From 2005 to 2008 the employment-population ratio rose, and then following the recession it returned to the 2002 to 2005 level.