Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Colorado

Written by:
November 15, 2022
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Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Colorado

Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.

As of October of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.2% higher than in September. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2.0% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in Illinois and 4.7% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.

To that end, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in Colorado using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.

#50. Eagle County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 37,590 (867 unemployed)

#49. Washington County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.3%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 2,696 (62 unemployed)

#48. Routt County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.4%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 15,894 (382 unemployed)

#47. Boulder County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 206,280 (5,118 unemployed)

#46. Chaffee County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 10,725 (265 unemployed)

#45. Douglas County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 210,008 (5,325 unemployed)

#44. Elbert County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 16,153 (403 unemployed)

#43. Grand County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 9,979 (245 unemployed)

#42. Lake County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.5%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 5,110 (130 unemployed)

#41. Custer County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 2,543 (65 unemployed)

#40. Logan County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 10,576 (279 unemployed)

#39. Prowers County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 6,298 (162 unemployed)

#38. Broomfield

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 42,938 (1,172 unemployed)

#37. Dolores County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.5%
- Total labor force: 1,168 (32 unemployed)

#36. Larimer County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 215,238 (5,787 unemployed)

#35. Park County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.7%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 11,833 (314 unemployed)

#34. Garfield County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 32,549 (902 unemployed)

#33. La Plata County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 32,367 (902 unemployed)

#32. Moffat County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.8%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 7,039 (200 unemployed)

#31. Archuleta County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 7,376 (211 unemployed)

#30. Jefferson County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 347,513 (10,065 unemployed)

#29. Lincoln County

- Current unemployment rate: 2.9%
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.4%
- Total labor force: 2,275 (65 unemployed)

#28. Montrose County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 22,991 (693 unemployed)

#27. Pitkin County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.0%
--- 1 month change: +0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 11,201 (336 unemployed)

#26. Teller County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 13,580 (406 unemployed)

#25. Gilpin County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 3,997 (122 unemployed)

#24. Clear Creek County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 6,253 (203 unemployed)

#23. Saguache County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.2%
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 3,457 (112 unemployed)

#22. Conejos County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 4,147 (135 unemployed)

#21. Montezuma County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.3%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.9%
- Total labor force: 13,696 (452 unemployed)

#20. Morgan County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.3%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 15,793 (518 unemployed)

#19. Arapahoe County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 380,754 (12,872 unemployed)

#18. Delta County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 14,031 (471 unemployed)

#17. Mesa County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 79,351 (2,703 unemployed)

#16. Mineral County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: +0.4%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 413 (14 unemployed)

#15. Weld County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 170,207 (5,808 unemployed)

#14. Denver

- Current unemployment rate: 3.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 442,950 (15,386 unemployed)

#13. El Paso County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.5%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 362,311 (12,772 unemployed)

#12. Alamosa County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 8,633 (311 unemployed)

#11. Rio Blanco County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 2,891 (104 unemployed)

#10. Adams County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 285,780 (10,666 unemployed)

#9. Bent County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.8%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 1,899 (73 unemployed)

#8. Costilla County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 1,901 (74 unemployed)

#7. Crowley County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 1,437 (58 unemployed)

#6. Rio Grande County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 5,432 (222 unemployed)

#5. Otero County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -1.0%
- Total labor force: 8,181 (360 unemployed)

#4. Las Animas County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -0.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 6,481 (306 unemployed)

#3. Fremont County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 15,840 (760 unemployed)

#2. Pueblo County

- Current unemployment rate: 5.1%
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 79,559 (4,022 unemployed)

#1. Huerfano County

- Current unemployment rate: 6.8%
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: +0.2%
- Total labor force: 2,645 (179 unemployed)

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