Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Pennsylvania Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Allentown fell 0.1 percentage points in March 2012 to 8.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points higher than the Pennsylvania rate. The unemployment rate in Allentown peaked in December 2009 at 9.5% and is now 1.4 percentage points lower. You can also compare Allentown unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	March 2012	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.2%	-0.1	-0.7
Pennsylvania	7.5%	-0.1	-0.4
Allentown	8.1%	-0.1	-0.5

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with March 2012 data as April metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Allentown, Pennsylvania, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Allentown, Pennsylvania Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Allentown peaked in February 2010 at 40,148. There are now 5,917 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Allentown employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Allentown, Pennsylvania) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	March 2012	Month/Month	Year/Year
Allentown	34,231	-311	-1,733

Number of Unemployed Persons

Allentown, Pennsylvania Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Pennsylvania Unemployment Rate	Allentown Unemployment Rate	Allentown Unemployed
April 2012	8.1%	7.4%	—	—
March 2012	8.2%	7.5%	8.1%	34,231
February 2012	8.3%	7.6%	8.2%	34,542
January 2012	8.3%	7.6%	8.3%	34,874
December 2011	8.5%	7.7%	8.4%	35,194
November 2011	8.7%	7.8%	8.7%	36,143
October 2011	8.9%	7.9%	8.8%	36,929
September 2011	9.0%	8.0%	9.0%	37,452
August 2011	9.1%	8.1%	8.9%	37,140
July 2011	9.1%	8.1%	8.6%	35,955
June 2011	9.1%	8.0%	8.4%	35,190
May 2011	9.0%	8.0%	8.3%	34,652
April 2011	9.0%	7.9%	8.3%	34,925