Counties with the highest unemployment in New York

In November, the national unemployment rate changed very little from October, rising from 4.1% to 4.2%. It's been slightly elevated in recent months compared to levels a year ago—likely a symptom of the Federal Reserve's higher interest rates, which can slow hiring and decrease job openings. It's up from 3.7% the year before, but for comparison, unemployment rates surged to 10% in October 2009 during the Great Recession, and a full recovery took years. At the height of the brief COVID-19 recession in April 2020, unemployment hit 14.7%.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in New York using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in October 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

Despite the slight uptick in unemployment, the labor market added 227,000 jobs in November, according to the BLS. 

In the private sector, employment increased by 146,000 jobs, with 50,000 jobs added in education and health services and another 28,000 jobs in trade, transportation, and utilities, according to ADP's National Employment Report. While Sun Belt states saw growth in manufacturing roles, other jobs diminished in the sector across the Rust Belt, which continues to see losses. 

The labor market forecast for 2025 is still somewhat uncertain. The reelection of Donald Trump and his proposal to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico may send ripples throughout the economy. A tariff increase could create an inflationary environment, shifting the labor market as inflation inches toward the 2% goal.

To get a better idea of your community's current economy, read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in New York.

#25. Orleans County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,294 people (576 unemployed)

#24. Orange County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 191,013 people (6,218 unemployed)

#23. Westchester County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 498,147 people (16,259 unemployed)

#22. Greene County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,947 people (676 unemployed)

#21. Herkimer County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,076 people (926 unemployed)

#20. Cattaraugus County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 32,783 people (1,124 unemployed)

#19. Schenectady County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 77,368 people (2,600 unemployed)

#18. Oneida County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 99,026 people (3,360 unemployed)

#17. Monroe County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 364,448 people (12,352 unemployed)

#16. Oswego County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 52,294 people (1,834 unemployed)

#15. Chautauqua County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 53,652 people (1,896 unemployed)

#14. Chemung County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 34,060 people (1,218 unemployed)

#13. Steuben County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 40,363 people (1,452 unemployed)

#12. Jefferson County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 43,476 people (1,563 unemployed)

#11. St. Lawrence County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 43,428 people (1,573 unemployed)

#10. Broome County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 82,257 people (2,928 unemployed)

#9. Niagara County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 97,572 people (3,497 unemployed)

#8. Erie County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 442,237 people (15,813 unemployed)

#7. Montgomery County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,081 people (829 unemployed)

#6. Fulton County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,139 people (861 unemployed)

#5. Queens County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1.2 million people (54,947 unemployed)

#4. Richmond County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 230,181 people (11,098 unemployed)

#3. New York County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 941,878 people (44,928 unemployed)

#2. Kings County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1.2 million people (70,226 unemployed)

#1. Bronx County

- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 611,148 people (42,076 unemployed)

This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.