Department of Numbers

Ames, Iowa Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Ames fell 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 2.0%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.0 percentage points lower than the Iowa rate. The unemployment rate in Ames peaked in April 2020 at 8.0% and is now 6.0 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 1.9% in July 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Ames unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
Iowa 3.0% 0.0 +0.3
Ames 2.0% -0.1 -0.6
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: 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 4,629. There are now 3,426 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,149 in July 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 54. Ames employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Ames, Iowa) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Ames 1,203 -27 -307

Number of Unemployed Persons

Ames, Iowa Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Iowa
Unemployment Rate		 Ames
Unemployment Rate		 Ames
Unemployed
February
2023		 3.6% — — —
January
2023		 3.4% 3.0% 2.0% 1,203
December
2022		 3.5% 3.0% 2.1% 1,230
November
2022		 3.6% 3.1% 2.1% 1,228
October
2022		 3.7% 3.1% 2.0% 1,176
September
2022		 3.5% 3.1% 1.9% 1,150
August
2022		 3.7% 2.9% 2.0% 1,156
July
2022		 3.5% 2.8% 1.9% 1,149
June
2022		 3.6% 2.6% 2.0% 1,188
May
2022		 3.6% 2.4% 2.1% 1,263
April
2022		 3.6% 2.3% 2.3% 1,348
March
2022		 3.6% 2.4% 2.4% 1,422

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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