Department of Numbers

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Philadelphia fell 0.2 percentage points in December 2011 to 8.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.8 percentage points higher than the Pennsylvania rate. The unemployment rate in Philadelphia peaked in January 2010 at 9.1% and is now 0.7 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 8.2% in May 2011, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Philadelphia 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
Philadelphia 8.4% -0.2 -0.6
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: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, National

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Philadelphia peaked in February 2010 at 269,302. There are now 19,841 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 242,287 in May 2011, the number of unemployed has now grown by 7,174. Philadelphia employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is also available.

Unemployed Persons December 2011 Month/Month Year/Year
Philadelphia 249,461 -5,418 -15,032

Number of Unemployed Persons

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Pennsylvania
Unemployment Rate
Philadelphia
Unemployment Rate
Philadelphia
Unemployed
January
2012
8.3%
December
2011
8.5% 7.6% 8.4% 249,461
November
2011
8.7% 7.9% 8.6% 254,879
October
2011
8.9% 8.1% 8.7% 258,614
September
2011
9.0% 8.3% 8.9% 262,823
August
2011
9.1% 8.2% 8.8% 260,454
July
2011
9.1% 7.8% 8.6% 253,030
June
2011
9.1% 7.6% 8.4% 247,004
May
2011
9.0% 7.4% 8.2% 242,287
April
2011
9.0% 7.5% 8.3% 243,570
March
2011
8.9% 7.8% 8.5% 249,416
February
2011
9.0% 8.0% 8.7% 255,639
January
2011
9.1% 8.3% 8.8% 259,968

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.