Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, New York Unemployment
The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Buffalo fell 0.0 percentage points in May 2023 to 3.3%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.6 percentage points lower than the New York rate. The unemployment rate in Buffalo peaked in April 2020 at 21.7% and is now 18.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.3% in April 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Buffalo unemployment with unemployment in other cities.
| Unemployment Rate | May 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | 3.7% | +0.3 | +0.1 |
| New York | 3.9% | -0.1 | -0.2 |
| Buffalo | 3.3% | 0.0 | -0.3 |
Unemployment Rate: Buffalo, New York, National
Note: Recessions shown in gray.
Buffalo, New York Unemployed
The number of people unemployed in Buffalo peaked in April 2020 at 119,582. There are now 101,652 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 17,792 in April 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 138. Buffalo employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Buffalo, New York) is also available.
| Unemployed Persons | May 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo | 17,930 | +138 | -1,889 |
Number of Unemployed Persons
Buffalo, New York Unemployment History
| Date | National Unemployment Rate |
New York Unemployment Rate |
Buffalo Unemployment Rate |
Buffalo Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2023 |
3.6% | — | — | — |
| May 2023 |
3.7% | 3.9% | 3.3% | 17,930 |
| April 2023 |
3.4% | 4.0% | 3.3% | 17,792 |
| March 2023 |
3.5% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 18,442 |
| February 2023 |
3.6% | 4.2% | 3.5% | 18,833 |
| January 2023 |
3.4% | 4.2% | 3.6% | 19,358 |
| December 2022 |
3.5% | 4.1% | 3.6% | 19,454 |
| November 2022 |
3.6% | 4.1% | 3.6% | 19,463 |
| October 2022 |
3.7% | 4.2% | 3.6% | 19,553 |
| September 2022 |
3.5% | 4.0% | 3.6% | 19,744 |
| August 2022 |
3.7% | 3.9% | 3.7% | 19,899 |
| July 2022 |
3.5% | 4.0% | 3.7% | 19,958 |
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. ↩
Department of Numbers
The Department of Numbers contextualizes public data so that individuals can form independent opinions on everyday social and economic matters.
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