Department of Numbers

Boulder, Colorado Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Boulder rose 0.1 percentage points in May 2023 to 2.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points lower than the Colorado rate. The unemployment rate in Boulder peaked in May 2020 at 10.0% and is now 7.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.3% in July 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Boulder unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% +0.3 +0.1
Colorado 2.8% 0.0 -0.1
Boulder 2.4% +0.1 -0.1
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with May 2023 data as June metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Boulder, Colorado, National

Boulder, Colorado monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Boulder, Colorado Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Boulder peaked in May 2020 at 19,093. There are now 14,215 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 4,650 in August 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 228. Boulder employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Boulder, Colorado) is also available.

Unemployed Persons May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Boulder 4,878 +167 -80

Number of Unemployed Persons

Boulder, Colorado Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Colorado
Unemployment Rate		 Boulder
Unemployment Rate		 Boulder
Unemployed
June
2023		 3.6% — — —
May
2023		 3.7% 2.8% 2.4% 4,878
April
2023		 3.4% 2.8% 2.3% 4,711
March
2023		 3.5% 2.8% 2.3% 4,780
February
2023		 3.6% 2.9% 2.4% 4,800
January
2023		 3.4% 2.8% 2.3% 4,678
December
2022		 3.5% 2.8% 2.3% 4,700
November
2022		 3.6% 2.8% 2.3% 4,697
October
2022		 3.7% 2.8% 2.3% 4,687
September
2022		 3.5% 2.8% 2.3% 4,670
August
2022		 3.7% 2.6% 2.3% 4,650
July
2022		 3.5% 2.7% 2.3% 4,661

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. ↩

Data on deptofnumbers.com is for informational purposes only. No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is offered or implied. Nothing on this site constitutes investment advice. Contact [email protected] if you have any questions, comments or suggestions. Privacy policy.