Department of Numbers

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Oklahoma City rose 0.1 percentage points in November 2023 to 3.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points lower than the Oklahoma rate. The unemployment rate in Oklahoma City peaked in April 2020 at 12.9% and is now 9.8 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.6% in June 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.5 percentage points. You can also compare Oklahoma City unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
Oklahoma 3.3% +0.1 +0.1
Oklahoma City 3.1% +0.1 +0.2
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with November 2023 data as December metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, National

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Oklahoma City peaked in April 2020 at 86,598. There are now 63,574 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 18,879 in December 2021, the number of unemployed has now grown by 4,145. Oklahoma City employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Oklahoma City 23,024 +902 +2,368

Number of Unemployed Persons

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Oklahoma
Unemployment Rate
Oklahoma City
Unemployment Rate
Oklahoma City
Unemployed
December
2023
3.7%
November
2023
3.7% 3.3% 3.1% 23,024
October
2023
3.8% 3.2% 3.0% 22,122
September
2023
3.8% 3.0% 2.8% 21,000
August
2023
3.8% 2.8% 2.7% 19,748
July
2023
3.5% 2.7% 2.6% 19,018
June
2023
3.6% 2.7% 2.6% 19,026
May
2023
3.7% 2.8% 2.7% 19,509
April
2023
3.4% 2.9% 2.7% 19,728
March
2023
3.5% 3.0% 2.8% 20,321
February
2023
3.6% 3.0% 2.8% 20,397
January
2023
3.4% 3.1% 2.8% 20,537

1. Metro area unemployment rates are now seasonally adjusted. The BLS has started publishing smoothed seasonally adjusted metropolitan area data which makes comparisons to state and national data more relevant than the unadjusted numbers.