Counties with the highest unemployment rate in Vermont
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 Vermont using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.
#14. Grand Isle County
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 4,027 (66 unemployed)
#13. Addison County
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.3%
- Total labor force: 20,610 (359 unemployed)
#12. Chittenden County
--- 1 month change: +0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 96,183 (1,752 unemployed)
#11. Franklin County
--- 1 month change: -0.4%
--- 1 year change: -1.6%
- Total labor force: 27,383 (503 unemployed)
#10. Orange County
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.6%
- Total labor force: 15,559 (283 unemployed)
#9. Windsor County
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.7%
- Total labor force: 28,090 (509 unemployed)
#8. Washington County
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 33,453 (632 unemployed)
#7. Caledonia County
--- 1 month change: -0.1%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 14,287 (331 unemployed)
#6. Lamoille County
--- 1 month change: +0.2%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 13,731 (333 unemployed)
#5. Windham County
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.2%
- Total labor force: 20,547 (488 unemployed)
#4. Bennington County
--- 1 month change: +0.1%
--- 1 year change: -1.1%
- Total labor force: 17,238 (442 unemployed)
#3. Rutland County
--- 1 month change: +0.2%
--- 1 year change: -1.4%
- Total labor force: 29,097 (801 unemployed)
#2. Orleans County
--- 1 month change: 0.0%
--- 1 year change: -0.8%
- Total labor force: 12,716 (397 unemployed)
#1. Essex County
--- 1 month change: -0.3%
--- 1 year change: -0.2%
- Total labor force: 2,608 (86 unemployed)
