Counties with the highest unemployment in West Virginia

Written by:
Stacker
April 8, 2024
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Counties with the highest unemployment in West Virginia

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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia.

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#55. Jefferson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,934 people (976 unemployed)

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Malachi Jacobs // Shutterstock

#54. Pendleton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,804 people (130 unemployed)

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Bob Couperthwaite // Shutterstock

#53. Hampshire County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,143 people (376 unemployed)

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#52. Monongalia County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 55,113 people (1,994 unemployed)

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#51. Tucker County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,659 people (146 unemployed)

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#50. Monroe County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,131 people (253 unemployed)

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Angel Cochran // Shutterstock

#49. Putnam County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,876 people (1,110 unemployed)

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#48. Morgan County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 8,484 people (355 unemployed)

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#47. Harrison County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 34,814 people (1,466 unemployed)

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#46. Berkeley County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 57,752 people (2,443 unemployed)

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#45. Pocahontas County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,980 people (175 unemployed)

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#44. Preston County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,426 people (684 unemployed)

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#43. Doddridge County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,745 people (169 unemployed)

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#42. Raleigh County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,813 people (1,334 unemployed)

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#41. Cabell County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 41,368 people (1,855 unemployed)

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#40. Kanawha County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 81,578 people (3,649 unemployed)

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#39. Ohio County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 19,878 people (921 unemployed)

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#38. Taylor County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,984 people (381 unemployed)

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#37. Marion County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 24,978 people (1,215 unemployed)

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#36. Summers County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 4,431 people (221 unemployed)

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#35. Greenbrier County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,057 people (747 unemployed)

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#34. Grant County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,189 people (315 unemployed)

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#33. Boone County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,242 people (392 unemployed)

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#32. Mineral County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,219 people (654 unemployed)

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Claire Salvail Photos // Shutterstock

#31. Mercer County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,820 people (1,115 unemployed)

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#30. Wyoming County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,134 people (394 unemployed)

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#29. Logan County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,782 people (592 unemployed)

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#28. Wood County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 36,477 people (2,045 unemployed)

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#27. Hardy County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,878 people (335 unemployed)

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#26. Mason County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,369 people (590 unemployed)

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#25. Wayne County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,670 people (887 unemployed)

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#24. Fayette County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 15,863 people (902 unemployed)

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#23. Upshur County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 10,002 people (592 unemployed)

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#22. Lewis County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,166 people (372 unemployed)

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#21. Jackson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,969 people (713 unemployed)

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#20. Barbour County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.2%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,057 people (435 unemployed)

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#19. Ritchie County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,840 people (241 unemployed)

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#18. Lincoln County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,065 people (444 unemployed)

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#17. Nicholas County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,046 people (574 unemployed)

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#16. Brooke County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 9,565 people (606 unemployed)

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#15. Marshall County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 13,141 people (830 unemployed)

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#14. Randolph County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,757 people (779 unemployed)

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#13. Hancock County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 12,634 people (848 unemployed)

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#12. Mingo County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,590 people (451 unemployed)

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#11. Braxton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.0%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,030 people (351 unemployed)

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#10. Webster County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.1%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,060 people (217 unemployed)

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#9. Pleasants County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.6%
--- 1-month change: No change
--- 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,641 people (200 unemployed)

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#8. Wetzel County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 6,522 people (499 unemployed)

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#7. McDowell County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,943 people (315 unemployed)

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#6. Gilmer County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 3.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,293 people (191 unemployed)

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#5. Tyler County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.3%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.8 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,953 people (244 unemployed)

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#4. Roane County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.4%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 5,089 people (428 unemployed)

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#3. Wirt County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.8%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.0 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,285 people (201 unemployed)

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#2. Clay County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 9.0%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 2.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 3,099 people (278 unemployed)

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#1. Calhoun County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 12.7%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 3.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,473 people (314 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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