Honolulu, Hawaii Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Honolulu rose 0.1 percentage points in December 2011 to 5.7%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.9 percentage points lower than the Hawaii rate. The unemployment rate in Honolulu peaked in June 2009 at 5.9% and is now 0.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.0% in May 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.7 percentage points. You can also compare Honolulu unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.5%	-0.2	-0.9
Hawaii	6.6%	+0.1	+0.3
Honolulu	5.7%	+0.1	+0.3

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2011 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Honolulu, Hawaii, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Honolulu, Hawaii Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Honolulu peaked in August 2009 at 26,040. There are now 486 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 22,458 in May 2011, the number of unemployed has now grown by 3,096. Honolulu employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Honolulu, Hawaii) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Honolulu	25,554	+402	+1,722

Number of Unemployed Persons

Honolulu, Hawaii Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Hawaii Unemployment Rate	Honolulu Unemployment Rate	Honolulu Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	6.6%	5.7%	25,554
November 2011	8.7%	6.5%	5.6%	25,152
October 2011	8.9%	6.5%	5.6%	24,771
September 2011	9.0%	6.4%	5.4%	24,025
August 2011	9.1%	6.2%	5.2%	23,182
July 2011	9.1%	6.1%	5.1%	22,604
June 2011	9.1%	6.0%	5.1%	22,517
May 2011	9.0%	6.0%	5.0%	22,458
April 2011	9.0%	6.1%	5.1%	22,648
March 2011	8.9%	6.3%	5.3%	23,422
February 2011	9.0%	6.3%	5.3%	23,667
January 2011	9.1%	6.3%	5.3%	23,548