In 2018, Wichita total nonfarm employment is forecasted to increase by 1,065 jobs, growing 0.4 percent, with an expected growth range between 0.1 percent and 0.6 percent.
- The production sectors are expected to remain relatively flat in 2018.
- The trade, transportation and utilities sector is forecasted to contract by 0.7 percent, decreasing by around 350 jobs.
- The service sectors are forecast to be the fastest growing portion of the Wichita area economy, with 1.3 percent growth.
- Government employment is expected to decline slightly in 2018, contracting by 0.7 percent.
Kansas employment declined by 0.8 percent in the last twelve months, while Wichita employment increased by 0.5 percent in the same period.
鈥淲ichita has settled into this slow growth expectation,鈥� said Jeremy Hill, director of the Center for Economic Development and Business Research at Wichita State. 鈥淎lthough businesses are slowing improving and households are feeling better now that we are at or near full employment, future growth is limited due to labor availability.鈥�
Read the full 2018 Wichita Employment Forecast, including a graph and tables, is available at .