Department of Numbers

Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, Maryland Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Baltimore fell 0.0 percentage points in February 2021 to 5.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points lower than the Maryland rate. The unemployment rate in Baltimore peaked in April 2020 at 10.4% and is now 4.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.8% in December 2020, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Baltimore unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate February 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.2% -0.1 +2.7
Maryland 6.2% -0.2 +2.7
Baltimore 5.9% 0.0 +2.5
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with February 2021 data as March 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 147,802. There are now 62,898 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 83,808 in December 2020, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,096. Baltimore employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Baltimore, Maryland) is also available.

Unemployed Persons February 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Baltimore 84,904 -881 +33,582

Number of Unemployed Persons

Baltimore, Maryland Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Maryland
Unemployment Rate		 Baltimore
Unemployment Rate		 Baltimore
Unemployed
March
2021		 6.0% — — —
February
2021		 6.2% 6.2% 5.9% 84,904
January
2021		 6.3% 6.4% 5.9% 85,785
December
2020		 6.7% 6.8% 5.8% 83,808
November
2020		 6.7% 6.8% 6.1% 88,843
October
2020		 6.9% 6.8% 7.0% 102,160
September
2020		 7.8% 7.0% 7.1% 101,146
August
2020		 8.4% 8.6% 6.7% 100,822
July
2020		 10.2% 8.7% 7.4% 112,102
June
2020		 11.1% 8.6% 7.9% 117,878
May
2020		 13.3% 9.0% 9.7% 139,973
April
2020		 14.8% 9.0% 10.4% 147,802

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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