Department of Numbers

Ames, Iowa Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Ames fell 0.0 percentage points in February 2021 to 2.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.7 percentage points lower than the Iowa rate. The unemployment rate in Ames peaked in April 2020 at 9.1% and is now 6.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.0% in December 2020, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.9 percentage points. You can also compare Ames unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate February 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.2% -0.1 +2.7
Iowa 3.6% 0.0 +0.7
Ames 2.9% 0.0 +0.9
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with February 2021 data as March 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 4,930. There are now 3,376 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,125 in December 2020, the number of unemployed has now grown by 429. Ames employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Ames, Iowa) is also available.

Unemployed Persons February 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Ames 1,554 +13 +354

Number of Unemployed Persons

Ames, Iowa Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Iowa
Unemployment Rate		 Ames
Unemployment Rate		 Ames
Unemployed
March
2021		 6.0% — — —
February
2021		 6.2% 3.6% 2.9% 1,554
January
2021		 6.3% 3.6% 2.9% 1,541
December
2020		 6.7% 3.7% 2.0% 1,125
November
2020		 6.7% 3.9% 2.5% 1,395
October
2020		 6.9% 4.2% 2.4% 1,388
September
2020		 7.8% 4.7% 3.0% 1,749
August
2020		 8.4% 5.3% 4.2% 2,409
July
2020		 10.2% 6.1% 4.7% 2,641
June
2020		 11.1% 7.1% 5.6% 3,203
May
2020		 13.3% 8.3% 7.3% 4,023
April
2020		 14.8% 11.1% 9.1% 4,930

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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