Department of Numbers

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, Maryland Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Baltimore fell 0.1 percentage points in May 2023 to 2.5%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points higher than the Maryland rate. The unemployment rate in Baltimore peaked in April 2020 at 9.5% and is now 7.0 percentage points lower. You can also compare Baltimore unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% +0.3 +0.1
Maryland 2.4% -0.1 -0.7
Baltimore 2.5% -0.1 -0.8
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with May 2023 data as June metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Baltimore, Maryland, National

Baltimore, Maryland monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Baltimore, Maryland Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Baltimore peaked in April 2020 at 142,146. There are now 104,802 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Baltimore employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Baltimore, Maryland) is also available.

Unemployed Persons May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Baltimore 37,344 -1,411 -11,014

Number of Unemployed Persons

Baltimore, Maryland Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Maryland
Unemployment Rate
Baltimore
Unemployment Rate
Baltimore
Unemployed
June
2023
3.6%
May
2023
3.7% 2.4% 2.5% 37,344
April
2023
3.4% 2.5% 2.6% 38,755
March
2023
3.5% 2.7% 2.8% 40,917
February
2023
3.6% 2.9% 2.9% 43,216
January
2023
3.4% 3.0% 3.0% 43,986
December
2022
3.5% 3.0% 3.1% 45,460
November
2022
3.6% 3.1% 3.1% 45,437
October
2022
3.7% 3.2% 3.1% 45,539
September
2022
3.5% 3.2% 3.1% 45,946
August
2022
3.7% 3.4% 3.1% 46,468
July
2022
3.5% 3.2% 3.2% 47,096

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.