Department of Numbers

Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Waterloo fell 0.0 percentage points in November 2020 to 3.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the Iowa rate. The unemployment rate in Waterloo peaked in April 2020 at 11.6% and is now 7.7 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.9% in October 2020, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Waterloo unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2020 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.7% -0.2 +3.1
Iowa 3.6% -0.1 +0.8
Waterloo 3.9% 0.0 +0.7
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with November 2020 data as December metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Waterloo, Iowa, National

Waterloo, Iowa monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Waterloo, Iowa Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Waterloo peaked in April 2020 at 10,527. There are now 7,262 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Waterloo employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Waterloo, Iowa) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2020 Month/Month Year/Year
Waterloo 3,265 -40 +331

Number of Unemployed Persons

Waterloo, Iowa Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Iowa
Unemployment Rate		 Waterloo
Unemployment Rate		 Waterloo
Unemployed
December
2020		 6.7% — — —
November
2020		 6.7% 3.6% 3.9% 3,265
October
2020		 6.9% 3.7% 3.9% 3,305
September
2020		 7.8% 4.8% 5.2% 4,489
August
2020		 8.4% 6.3% 6.4% 5,528
July
2020		 10.2% 6.8% 7.3% 6,278
June
2020		 11.1% 8.4% 8.7% 7,634
May
2020		 13.3% 10.2% 11.6% 10,454
April
2020		 14.8% 11.0% 11.6% 10,527
March
2020		 4.4% 3.3% 3.7% 3,318
February
2020		 3.5% 2.8% 3.5% 3,183
January
2020		 3.5% 2.8% 3.3% 2,983

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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