Iowa City, Iowa Unemployment
The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Iowa City fell 0.0 percentage points in May 2021 to 3.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points lower than the Iowa rate. The unemployment rate in Iowa City peaked in April 2020 at 10.1% and is now 6.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.4% in January 2021, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Iowa City unemployment with unemployment in other cities.
| Unemployment Rate | May 2021 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | 5.8% | -0.3 | -7.5 |
| Iowa | 3.9% | +0.1 | -4.4 |
| Iowa City | 3.6% | 0.0 | -4.0 |
Unemployment Rate: Iowa City, Iowa, National
Note: Recessions shown in gray.
Iowa City, Iowa Unemployed
The number of people unemployed in Iowa City peaked in April 2020 at 9,815. There are now 6,418 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 3,170 in January 2021, the number of unemployed has now grown by 227. Iowa City employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Iowa City, Iowa) is also available.
| Unemployed Persons | May 2021 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City | 3,397 | +63 | -3,839 |
Number of Unemployed Persons
Iowa City, Iowa Unemployment History
| Date | National Unemployment Rate |
Iowa Unemployment Rate |
Iowa City Unemployment Rate |
Iowa City Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2021 |
5.9% | — | — | — |
| May 2021 |
5.8% | 3.9% | 3.6% | 3,397 |
| April 2021 |
6.1% | 3.8% | 3.6% | 3,334 |
| March 2021 |
6.0% | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3,272 |
| February 2021 |
6.2% | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3,237 |
| January 2021 |
6.3% | 3.6% | 3.4% | 3,170 |
| December 2020 |
6.7% | 3.7% | 3.5% | 3,216 |
| November 2020 |
6.7% | 3.9% | 3.7% | 3,403 |
| October 2020 |
6.9% | 4.2% | 3.9% | 3,661 |
| September 2020 |
7.8% | 4.7% | 4.3% | 4,006 |
| August 2020 |
8.4% | 5.3% | 4.8% | 4,503 |
| July 2020 |
10.2% | 6.1% | 5.5% | 5,218 |
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. ↩
Department of Numbers
The Department of Numbers contextualizes public data so that individuals can form independent opinions on everyday social and economic matters.
Here's where you are
- Home
- / Unemployment
- / Iowa
- / Iowa City
