Department of Numbers

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, New York Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Buffalo fell 0.2 percentage points in July 2021 to 6.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.5 percentage points lower than the New York rate. The unemployment rate in Buffalo peaked in April 2020 at 20.9% and is now 14.8 percentage points lower. You can also compare Buffalo unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate July 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 5.4% -0.5 -4.8
New York 7.6% -0.1 -7.1
Buffalo 6.1% -0.2 -7.0
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with July 2021 data as August metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Buffalo, New York, National

Buffalo, New York monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Buffalo, New York Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Buffalo peaked in April 2020 at 110,024. There are now 77,109 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Buffalo employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Buffalo, New York) is also available.

Unemployed Persons July 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Buffalo 32,915 -953 -39,257

Number of Unemployed Persons

Buffalo, New York Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 New York
Unemployment Rate		 Buffalo
Unemployment Rate		 Buffalo
Unemployed
August
2021		 5.2% — — —
July
2021		 5.4% 7.6% 6.1% 32,915
June
2021		 5.9% 7.7% 6.3% 33,868
May
2021		 5.8% 7.8% 6.5% 34,814
April
2021		 6.1% 8.2% 6.6% 35,886
March
2021		 6.0% 8.4% 6.7% 36,482
February
2021		 6.2% 8.9% 6.7% 36,336
January
2021		 6.3% 8.8% 6.6% 35,901
December
2020		 6.7% 8.7% 7.8% 42,399
November
2020		 6.7% 8.7% 6.8% 36,533
October
2020		 6.9% 8.7% 7.0% 37,344
September
2020		 7.8% 10.0% 7.3% 38,542

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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