Counties with the highest unemployment in Pennsylvania
Counties with the highest unemployment in Pennsylvania
While today's unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Pennsylvania using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in February 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.
Experts are mixed in their views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.
The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
But as of March 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—down slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.
Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Pennsylvania.
#50. Allegheny County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 636,294 people (21,467 unemployed)
#49. Fulton County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,249 people (256 unemployed)
#48. Elk County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,384 people (512 unemployed)
#47. Bradford County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 28,311 people (1,006 unemployed)
#46. Greene County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,703 people (576 unemployed)
#45. Washington County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 105,166 people (3,866 unemployed)
#44. Northampton County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 168,371 people (6,194 unemployed)
#43. Berks County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 215,477 people (8,052 unemployed)
#42. Westmoreland County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 176,682 people (6,678 unemployed)
#41. Lehigh County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 202,158 people (7,779 unemployed)
#40. Snyder County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,675 people (769 unemployed)
#39. Susquehanna County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,416 people (790 unemployed)
#38. Lackawanna County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 107,844 people (4,258 unemployed)
#37. Mercer County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 47,904 people (1,920 unemployed)
#36. Lycoming County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 56,226 people (2,264 unemployed)
#35. Juniata County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,488 people (517 unemployed)
#34. Wyoming County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,733 people (566 unemployed)
#33. Warren County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,156 people (701 unemployed)
#32. Carbon County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 33,164 people (1,370 unemployed)
#31. Columbia County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 35,084 people (1,426 unemployed)
#30. Crawford County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 37,340 people (1,534 unemployed)
#29. Beaver County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 82,034 people (3,358 unemployed)
#28. Erie County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 128,165 people (5,246 unemployed)
#27. Tioga County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,626 people (789 unemployed)
#26. Mifflin County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,187 people (885 unemployed)
#25. Bedford County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,402 people (1,038 unemployed)
#24. Cambria County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 56,109 people (2,417 unemployed)
#23. Schuylkill County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 66,135 people (2,812 unemployed)
#22. McKean County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 2.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,626 people (738 unemployed)
#21. Venango County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,651 people (904 unemployed)
#20. Philadelphia County/city
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 760,376 people (33,547 unemployed)
#19. Clarion County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 2.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,808 people (705 unemployed)
#18. Jefferson County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,095 people (866 unemployed)
#17. Clearfield County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 35,663 people (1,600 unemployed)
#16. Indiana County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 36,796 people (1,647 unemployed)
#15. Northumberland County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 42,224 people (1,911 unemployed)
#14. Sullivan County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,512 people (115 unemployed)
#13. Somerset County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 32,814 people (1,514 unemployed)
#12. Monroe County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 82,908 people (3,782 unemployed)
#11. Clinton County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,522 people (849 unemployed)
#10. Armstrong County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 31,330 people (1,512 unemployed)
#9. Luzerne County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 162,757 people (7,835 unemployed)
#8. Wayne County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,965 people (1,152 unemployed)
#7. Fayette County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 55,143 people (2,732 unemployed)
#6. Pike County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,139 people (1,351 unemployed)
#5. Lawrence County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 38,909 people (2,012 unemployed)
#4. Cameron County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,851 people (100 unemployed)
#3. Huntingdon County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Down 2.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,440 people (1,057 unemployed)
#2. Potter County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 2.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,683 people (395 unemployed)
#1. Forest County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 2.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1,674 people (103 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
