Counties with the highest unemployment in Pennsylvania

2024 ended on a high note, with the unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 4.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Jan. 10.

Unemployment rates were higher in November than the prior year in 308 of 389 metro areas, though they dropped in 60 areas and remained unchanged in 21 areas, the BLS reported.

The lion's share of job growth remained in government, social assistance, and health care, with openings in nursing, residential care facilities, and home health care leading employment in the latter sector.

To get a glimpse of regional variations in employment, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Pennsylvania, using BLS data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in November 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.

Key takeaways: Biden's economic legacy, inauguration day, and immigration's impact on jobs

The latest BLS report highlights the final job figures under the Biden administration, giving the outgoing president a win during his final weeks in office. President Biden highlighted the creation of 16.6 million jobs during his term in a Jan. 11 statement.

"Although I inherited the worst economic crisis in decades with unemployment above 6% when I took office, we've had the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in 50 years with unemployment at 4.1% as I leave," he said.

Incoming President-elect Donald Trump will inherit a strong economy, with forecasts tracking ongoing growth into 2025. However, uncertainty remains. Trump's proposed tariffs on foreign goods coupled with a sweeping deportation operation may have a significant impact on the economy, accelerating inflation and tamping down job growth, some experts forecast.

"I worry that immigration will be significantly lower than the long-term average of 1.0 million. I worry that tariffs will be universal and lead to a trade war. That would not be good for the economy and earnings," Hugh Johnson, chairman emeritus at Graypoint, told U.S. News.

What does all this mean for middle-class Americans? The unemployment rate is projected to remain stable, only creeping up to 4.3%, according to the Federal Reserve's latest Summary of Economic Projections. Experts suggest paying down mortgages, revisiting investment strategies, and paying attention to taxes before rates possibly shift as Inauguration Day draws close.

The big story: California wildfires still rage

Although Goldman predicts only a "modest drag" on U.S. jobs due to the devastating California wildfires, the situation is still ongoing. Small businesses destroyed by the fires will impact local jobs; in the wake of the fires, a surge in construction and the need for labor and materials might lead to localized shortages and rising costs, impacting several industries.

However, amid political and environmental uncertainty, it's unclear which way the winds will blow. Americans will have to simply wait for the smoke to clear.

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

#50. Blair County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 58,182 people (1,735 unemployed)

#49. Bucks County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 346,527 people (10,246 unemployed)

#48. Mifflin County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,673 people (636 unemployed)

#47. Dauphin County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 146,939 people (4,626 unemployed)

#46. Westmoreland County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 173,233 people (5,447 unemployed)

#45. York County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 236,331 people (7,228 unemployed)

#44. Washington County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 103,262 people (3,258 unemployed)

#43. Allegheny County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 626,208 people (20,021 unemployed)

#42. Juniata County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,145 people (395 unemployed)

#41. Warren County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,524 people (544 unemployed)

#40. Bradford County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,035 people (930 unemployed)

#39. Columbia County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 34,166 people (1,135 unemployed)

#38. Lycoming County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 55,127 people (1,812 unemployed)

#37. Northampton County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 165,413 people (5,445 unemployed)

#36. Delaware County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 299,457 people (9,743 unemployed)

#35. Jefferson County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,463 people (630 unemployed)

#34. Wayne County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,264 people (768 unemployed)

#33. Carbon County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 32,502 people (1,102 unemployed)

#32. Crawford County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 36,367 people (1,231 unemployed)

#31. Beaver County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 80,365 people (2,725 unemployed)

#30. Lackawanna County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 105,123 people (3,558 unemployed)

#29. Erie County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 123,805 people (4,267 unemployed)

#28. Lehigh County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 198,464 people (6,743 unemployed)

#27. Berks County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 210,875 people (7,147 unemployed)

#26. Greene County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,154 people (528 unemployed)

#25. Armstrong County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,582 people (1,073 unemployed)

#24. Somerset County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 31,321 people (1,095 unemployed)

#23. Clearfield County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 34,124 people (1,192 unemployed)

#22. Indiana County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 35,842 people (1,248 unemployed)

#21. Mercer County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 46,275 people (1,621 unemployed)

#20. Sullivan County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 2,514 people (91 unemployed)

#19. Clarion County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,271 people (555 unemployed)

#18. Tioga County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,389 people (671 unemployed)

#17. Venango County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 19,875 people (711 unemployed)

#16. Elk County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,799 people (504 unemployed)

#15. Clinton County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,208 people (636 unemployed)

#14. Lawrence County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,838 people (1,409 unemployed)

#13. Northumberland County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 41,303 people (1,516 unemployed)

#12. Cambria County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 54,225 people (2,018 unemployed)

#11. Schuylkill County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 63,659 people (2,344 unemployed)

#10. McKean County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,138 people (608 unemployed)

#9. Huntingdon County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,081 people (727 unemployed)

#8. Potter County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,594 people (257 unemployed)

#7. Monroe County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 80,759 people (3,141 unemployed)

#6. Luzerne County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 158,072 people (6,159 unemployed)

#5. Fayette County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 53,960 people (2,181 unemployed)

#4. Pike County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: No change
- Total labor force: 25,423 people (1,057 unemployed)

#3. Philadelphia County/city

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 742,342 people (33,005 unemployed)

#2. Forest County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,613 people (78 unemployed)

#1. Cameron County

- November unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,810 people (87 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Elena Cox, writing by Alizah Salario, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.