Lancaster, Pennsylvania Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lancaster fell 0.1 percentage points in December 2011 to 6.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.0 percentage points lower than the Pennsylvania rate. The unemployment rate in Lancaster peaked in December 2009 at 7.9% and is now 1.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 6.3% in May 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Lancaster unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	8.5%	-0.2	-0.9
Pennsylvania	7.6%	-0.3	-0.9
Lancaster	6.6%	-0.1	-0.7

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: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Lancaster peaked in February 2010 at 21,027. There are now 3,649 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 16,769 in May 2011, the number of unemployed has now grown by 609. Lancaster employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Lancaster, Pennsylvania) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2011	Month/Month	Year/Year
Lancaster	17,378	-532	-2,060

Number of Unemployed Persons

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Pennsylvania Unemployment Rate	Lancaster Unemployment Rate	Lancaster Unemployed
January 2012	8.3%	—	—	—
December 2011	8.5%	7.6%	6.6%	17,378
November 2011	8.7%	7.9%	6.7%	17,910
October 2011	8.9%	8.1%	6.9%	18,238
September 2011	9.0%	8.3%	7.1%	18,650
August 2011	9.1%	8.2%	7.0%	18,411
July 2011	9.1%	7.8%	6.7%	17,600
June 2011	9.1%	7.6%	6.4%	17,047
May 2011	9.0%	7.4%	6.3%	16,769
April 2011	9.0%	7.5%	6.4%	16,975
March 2011	8.9%	7.8%	6.5%	17,519
February 2011	9.0%	8.0%	6.8%	18,175
January 2011	9.1%	8.3%	7.0%	18,777