Department of Numbers

Wichita, Kansas Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Wichita fell 0.0 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the Kansas rate. The unemployment rate in Wichita peaked in April 2020 at 18.7% and is now 15.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.0% in July 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Wichita unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
Kansas 2.9% 0.0 +0.4
Wichita 3.2% 0.0 -0.2
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Wichita, Kansas, National

Wichita, Kansas monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Wichita, Kansas Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Wichita peaked in April 2020 at 61,463. There are now 51,171 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 9,702 in August 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 590. Wichita employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Wichita, Kansas) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Wichita 10,292 -28 -530

Number of Unemployed Persons

Wichita, Kansas Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Kansas
Unemployment Rate
Wichita
Unemployment Rate
Wichita
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 2.9% 3.2% 10,292
December
2022
3.5% 2.9% 3.2% 10,320
November
2022
3.6% 2.9% 3.1% 10,086
October
2022
3.7% 3.0% 3.1% 9,920
September
2022
3.5% 2.9% 3.0% 9,719
August
2022
3.7% 2.8% 3.0% 9,702
July
2022
3.5% 2.7% 3.0% 9,704
June
2022
3.6% 2.6% 3.1% 9,880
May
2022
3.6% 2.5% 3.1% 10,052
April
2022
3.6% 2.4% 3.2% 10,148
March
2022
3.6% 2.4% 3.2% 10,387

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.