Department of Numbers

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lancaster fell 0.0 percentage points in November 2023 to 2.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points lower than the Pennsylvania rate. The unemployment rate in Lancaster peaked in April 2020 at 14.7% and is now 11.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.8% in July 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Lancaster unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
Pennsylvania 3.4% 0.0 -1.0
Lancaster 2.8% 0.0 -0.6
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: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, National

Lancaster, Pennsylvania monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Lancaster peaked in April 2020 at 40,747. There are now 32,644 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Lancaster employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Lancaster, Pennsylvania) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Lancaster 8,103 -59 -1,769

Number of Unemployed Persons

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Pennsylvania
Unemployment Rate
Lancaster
Unemployment Rate
Lancaster
Unemployed
December
2023
3.7%
November
2023
3.7% 3.4% 2.8% 8,103
October
2023
3.8% 3.4% 2.8% 8,162
September
2023
3.8% 3.4% 2.8% 8,149
August
2023
3.8% 3.5% 2.8% 8,285
July
2023
3.5% 3.5% 2.8% 8,205
June
2023
3.6% 3.8% 3.0% 8,581
May
2023
3.7% 4.0% 3.0% 8,825
April
2023
3.4% 4.1% 3.1% 8,967
March
2023
3.5% 4.2% 3.2% 9,249
February
2023
3.6% 4.4% 3.3% 9,602
January
2023
3.4% 4.3% 3.3% 9,692

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.