Department of Numbers

Ames, Iowa Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Ames fell 0.0 percentage points in November 2023 to 2.3%. 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 8.3% and is now 6.0 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 1.9% in March 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.4 percentage points. You can also compare Ames unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
Iowa 3.3% +0.1 +0.2
Ames 2.3% 0.0 +0.2
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with November 2023 data as December 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 4,687. There are now 3,304 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,111 in April 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 272. Ames employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Ames, Iowa) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Ames 1,383 +19 +107

Number of Unemployed Persons

Ames, Iowa Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Iowa
Unemployment Rate		 Ames
Unemployment Rate		 Ames
Unemployed
December
2023		 3.7% — — —
November
2023		 3.7% 3.3% 2.3% 1,383
October
2023		 3.8% 3.2% 2.3% 1,364
September
2023		 3.8% 3.0% 2.2% 1,315
August
2023		 3.8% 2.9% 2.1% 1,277
July
2023		 3.5% 2.7% 2.1% 1,259
June
2023		 3.6% 2.7% 2.1% 1,241
May
2023		 3.7% 2.7% 2.1% 1,236
April
2023		 3.4% 2.7% 2.1% 1,244
March
2023		 3.5% 2.8% 2.1% 1,235
February
2023		 3.6% 2.9% 2.1% 1,241
January
2023		 3.4% 3.0% 2.1% 1,245

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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