Department of Numbers

Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, New York Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Buffalo fell 0.0 percentage points in April 2021 to 6.7%. 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 14.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 6.6% in January 2021, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Buffalo unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate April 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.1% +0.1 -8.7
New York 8.2% -0.2 -8.0
Buffalo 6.7% 0.0 -14.2
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with April 2021 data as May 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 73,962 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 35,901 in January 2021, the number of unemployed has now grown by 161. Buffalo employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Buffalo, New York) is also available.

Unemployed Persons April 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Buffalo 36,062 -420 -73,962

Number of Unemployed Persons

Buffalo, New York Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 New York
Unemployment Rate		 Buffalo
Unemployment Rate		 Buffalo
Unemployed
May
2021		 5.8% — — —
April
2021		 6.1% 8.2% 6.7% 36,062
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
August
2020		 8.4% 11.7% 10.1% 54,780
July
2020		 10.2% 14.7% 13.1% 72,172
June
2020		 11.1% 15.0% 14.1% 75,933

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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