Department of Numbers

Cedar Rapids, Iowa Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Cedar Rapids fell 0.0 percentage points in August 2021 to 4.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points higher than the Iowa rate. The unemployment rate in Cedar Rapids peaked in April 2020 at 12.9% and is now 8.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.4% in January 2021, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Cedar Rapids 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
Cedar Rapids 4.5% 0.0 -2.2
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: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, National

Cedar Rapids, Iowa monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Cedar Rapids peaked in April 2020 at 18,966. There are now 12,645 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 6,033 in January 2021, the number of unemployed has now grown by 288. Cedar Rapids employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Cedar Rapids, Iowa) is also available.

Unemployed Persons August 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Cedar Rapids 6,321 +67 -3,033

Number of Unemployed Persons

Cedar Rapids, Iowa Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Iowa
Unemployment Rate		 Cedar Rapids
Unemployment Rate		 Cedar Rapids
Unemployed
September
2021		 4.8% — — —
August
2021		 5.2% 4.1% 4.5% 6,321
July
2021		 5.4% 4.1% 4.5% 6,254
June
2021		 5.9% 4.0% 5.1% 7,095
May
2021		 5.8% 3.9% 5.0% 6,924
April
2021		 6.1% 3.8% 5.0% 6,887
March
2021		 6.0% 3.7% 5.0% 6,927
February
2021		 6.2% 3.7% 5.1% 7,032
January
2021		 6.3% 3.6% 4.4% 6,033
December
2020		 6.7% 3.7% 4.6% 6,270
November
2020		 6.7% 3.9% 4.9% 6,697
October
2020		 6.9% 4.2% 4.8% 6,635

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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