Department of Numbers

Portsmouth, New Hampshire Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Portsmouth rose 0.1 percentage points in September 2023 to 1.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points lower than the New Hampshire rate. The unemployment rate in Portsmouth peaked in April 2020 at 13.8% and is now 11.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 1.7% in June 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Portsmouth unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.8% 0.0 +0.3
New Hampshire 2.0% +0.2 -0.8
Portsmouth 1.9% +0.1 -0.5
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2023 data as October metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, National

Portsmouth, New Hampshire monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Portsmouth peaked in April 2020 at 10,133. There are now 8,669 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,337 in July 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 127.

Unemployed Persons September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Portsmouth 1,464 +80 -413

Number of Unemployed Persons

Portsmouth, New Hampshire Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
New Hampshire
Unemployment Rate
Portsmouth
Unemployment Rate
Portsmouth
Unemployed
October
2023
3.9% 2.1%
September
2023
3.8% 2.0% 1.9% 1,464
August
2023
3.8% 1.8% 1.8% 1,384
July
2023
3.5% 1.7% 1.7% 1,337
June
2023
3.6% 1.8% 1.7% 1,346
May
2023
3.7% 1.9% 1.8% 1,412
April
2023
3.4% 2.1% 1.9% 1,513
March
2023
3.5% 2.4% 2.1% 1,688
February
2023
3.6% 2.7% 2.3% 1,805
January
2023
3.4% 2.8% 2.4% 1,890
December
2022
3.5% 2.9% 2.5% 1,917
November
2022
3.6% 2.9% 2.5% 1,928

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.