Department of Numbers

Ames, Iowa Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Ames fell 0.2 percentage points in August 2021 to 2.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.3 percentage points lower than the Iowa rate. The unemployment rate in Ames peaked in April 2020 at 8.5% and is now 5.7 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.5% in December 2020, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Ames unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate August 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 5.2% -0.2 -3.2
Iowa 4.1% 0.0 -1.2
Ames 2.8% -0.2 -0.7
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with August 2021 data as September metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Ames, Iowa, National

Ames, Iowa monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Ames, Iowa Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Ames peaked in April 2020 at 4,899. There are now 3,252 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,373 in January 2021, the number of unemployed has now grown by 274. Ames employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Ames, Iowa) is also available.

Unemployed Persons August 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Ames 1,647 -3 -270

Number of Unemployed Persons

Ames, Iowa Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Iowa
Unemployment Rate		 Ames
Unemployment Rate		 Ames
Unemployed
September
2021		 4.8% — — —
August
2021		 5.2% 4.1% 2.8% 1,647
July
2021		 5.4% 4.1% 3.0% 1,650
June
2021		 5.9% 4.0% 3.0% 1,669
May
2021		 5.8% 3.9% 3.0% 1,672
April
2021		 6.1% 3.8% 3.0% 1,660
March
2021		 6.0% 3.7% 3.1% 1,668
February
2021		 6.2% 3.7% 3.1% 1,679
January
2021		 6.3% 3.6% 2.6% 1,373
December
2020		 6.7% 3.7% 2.5% 1,388
November
2020		 6.7% 3.9% 2.7% 1,461
October
2020		 6.9% 4.2% 2.8% 1,564

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. ↩

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