Counties with the highest unemployment in Oklahoma
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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma.
#25. Kay County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,318 people (605 unemployed)
#24. Stephens County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,498 people (653 unemployed)
#23. Cherokee County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,185 people (722 unemployed)
#22. Murray County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,767 people (195 unemployed)
#21. Sequoyah County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,465 people (599 unemployed)
#20. Osage County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,923 people (746 unemployed)
#19. Washington County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,789 people (768 unemployed)
#18. Creek County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 33,509 people (1,126 unemployed)
#17. Jefferson County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,491 people (87 unemployed)
#16. Okfuskee County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,823 people (169 unemployed)
#15. McCurtain County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,787 people (551 unemployed)
#14. Le Flore County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,331 people (721 unemployed)
#13. Comanche County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 48,613 people (1,687 unemployed)
#12. Atoka County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,322 people (190 unemployed)
#11. Okmulgee County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,558 people (610 unemployed)
#10. Carter County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 22,400 people (819 unemployed)
#9. Muskogee County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,675 people (1,054 unemployed)
#8. Johnston County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,279 people (165 unemployed)
#7. Hughes County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,344 people (206 unemployed)
#6. Pushmataha County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,826 people (195 unemployed)
#5. Pittsburg County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,241 people (685 unemployed)
#4. Seminole County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,585 people (422 unemployed)
#3. Latimer County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 3,530 people (162 unemployed)
#2. McIntosh County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,551 people (368 unemployed)
#1. Haskell County
- October unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,130 people (210 unemployed)
This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
