Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Pennsylvania

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

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 Pennsylvania using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.

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#50. Bradford County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -1.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 27,685 (846 unemployed)

#49. Fulton County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.1%
--- 1 month change: -1.1%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 7,026 (216 unemployed)

#48. Bedford County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.2%
--- 1 month change: -1.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 23,737 (755 unemployed)

#47. Blair County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.2%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 59,673 (1,926 unemployed)

#46. Dauphin County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.2%
--- 1 month change: -1.1%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 148,727 (4,687 unemployed)
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#45. Allegheny County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.3%
--- 1 month change: -1.2%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 638,970 (20,780 unemployed)

#44. Columbia County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.3%
--- 1 month change: -1.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 33,133 (1,108 unemployed)

#43. Northampton County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.3%
--- 1 month change: -1.1%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 166,386 (5,454 unemployed)

#42. Westmoreland County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.3%
--- 1 month change: -1.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 177,127 (5,837 unemployed)

#41. Delaware County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -1.2%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 299,956 (10,341 unemployed)
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#40. Jefferson County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 19,550 (655 unemployed)

#39. Warren County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.4%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 17,408 (591 unemployed)

#38. Berks County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.5%
--- 1 month change: -1.3%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 211,080 (7,306 unemployed)

#37. Clarion County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.5%
--- 1 month change: -1.8%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 16,878 (591 unemployed)

#36. Lehigh County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.5%
--- 1 month change: -1.3%
--- 1 year change: -2.4%
- Total labor force: 199,984 (7,085 unemployed)
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#35. Washington County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.5%
--- 1 month change: -1.4%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 105,700 (3,682 unemployed)

#34. Crawford County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -1.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 37,422 (1,330 unemployed)

#33. Elk County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -1.9%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 14,630 (527 unemployed)

#32. Lycoming County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -1.3%
--- 1 year change: -2.2%
- Total labor force: 54,767 (1,998 unemployed)

#31. Mifflin County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.6%
--- 1 month change: -1.3%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 20,674 (742 unemployed)
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#30. Armstrong County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -2.0%
--- 1 year change: -3.7%
- Total labor force: 31,260 (1,159 unemployed)

#29. Clinton County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -1.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 17,196 (639 unemployed)

#28. Northumberland County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -2.2%
- Total labor force: 41,823 (1,565 unemployed)

#27. Tioga County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -1.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 18,909 (691 unemployed)

#26. Wayne County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -1.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.7%
- Total labor force: 22,329 (833 unemployed)
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#25. Wyoming County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.7%
--- 1 month change: -1.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 13,395 (495 unemployed)

#24. Indiana County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.8%
--- 1 month change: -2.2%
--- 1 year change: -2.5%
- Total labor force: 36,930 (1,399 unemployed)

#23. Lackawanna County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.8%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 104,655 (3,989 unemployed)

#22. Sullivan County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.8%
--- 1 month change: -1.8%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 2,523 (96 unemployed)

#21. Venango County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.8%
--- 1 month change: -1.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 21,112 (802 unemployed)
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#20. Cambria County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -2.1%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 55,512 (2,171 unemployed)

#19. Carbon County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 32,834 (1,267 unemployed)

#18. Clearfield County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -1.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 35,173 (1,387 unemployed)

#17. Erie County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -1.4%
--- 1 year change: -2.2%
- Total labor force: 126,773 (4,894 unemployed)

#16. Somerset County

- Current unemployment rate: 3.9%
--- 1 month change: -1.9%
--- 1 year change: -1.5%
- Total labor force: 31,932 (1,244 unemployed)
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#15. Cameron County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -2.0%
--- 1 year change: -2.8%
- Total labor force: 1,954 (79 unemployed)

#14. Greene County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -2.0%
--- 1 year change: -2.2%
- Total labor force: 15,563 (624 unemployed)

#13. Huntingdon County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -1.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 19,298 (778 unemployed)

#12. McKean County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -1.9%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 16,648 (672 unemployed)

#11. Mercer County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -2.0%
- Total labor force: 47,071 (1,862 unemployed)
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#10. Potter County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -1.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.3%
- Total labor force: 7,063 (279 unemployed)

#9. Schuylkill County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.0%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.9%
- Total labor force: 64,654 (2,573 unemployed)

#8. Lawrence County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.1%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 39,372 (1,607 unemployed)

#7. Beaver County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.4%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -1.8%
- Total labor force: 82,761 (3,611 unemployed)

#6. Luzerne County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.5%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -2.7%
- Total labor force: 157,736 (7,129 unemployed)
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#5. Fayette County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -2.1%
--- 1 year change: -2.9%
- Total labor force: 55,404 (2,589 unemployed)

#4. Forest County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.7%
--- 1 month change: -2.2%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 1,698 (79 unemployed)

#3. Pike County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.8%
--- 1 month change: -1.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 25,675 (1,224 unemployed)

#2. Monroe County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: -1.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 82,722 (4,056 unemployed)

#1. Philadelphia County

- Current unemployment rate: 4.9%
--- 1 month change: -1.5%
--- 1 year change: -3.2%
- Total labor force: 727,682 (35,666 unemployed)
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