Department of Numbers

Lafayette-West Lafayette, Indiana Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Lafayette fell 0.0 percentage points in January 2023 to 2.7%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points lower than the Indiana rate. The unemployment rate in Lafayette peaked in April 2020 at 13.4% and is now 10.7 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.1% in March 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.6 percentage points. You can also compare Lafayette unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
Indiana 3.1% 0.0 +0.2
Lafayette 2.7% 0.0 +0.5
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Lafayette, Indiana, National

Lafayette, Indiana monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Lafayette, Indiana Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Lafayette peaked in May 2020 at 13,148. There are now 10,125 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 2,313 in March 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 710. Lafayette employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Lafayette, Indiana) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Lafayette 3,023 +24 +611

Number of Unemployed Persons

Lafayette, Indiana Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Indiana
Unemployment Rate
Lafayette
Unemployment Rate
Lafayette
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 3.1% 2.7% 3,023
December
2022
3.5% 3.1% 2.7% 2,999
November
2022
3.6% 3.2% 2.7% 2,994
October
2022
3.7% 3.2% 2.6% 2,931
September
2022
3.5% 3.2% 2.5% 2,828
August
2022
3.7% 3.1% 2.6% 2,854
July
2022
3.5% 3.0% 2.5% 2,760
June
2022
3.6% 2.9% 2.3% 2,525
May
2022
3.6% 2.9% 2.2% 2,405
April
2022
3.6% 2.8% 2.1% 2,328
March
2022
3.6% 2.8% 2.1% 2,313

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.