Rochester, New York Unemployment
The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Rochester rose 0.1 percentage points in October 2023 to 3.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.8 percentage points lower than the New York rate. The unemployment rate in Rochester peaked in April 2020 at 16.6% and is now 13.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.1% in April 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Rochester unemployment with unemployment in other cities.
| Unemployment Rate | October 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| National | 3.9% | +0.1 | +0.2 |
| New York | 4.2% | +0.2 | 0.0 |
| Rochester | 3.4% | +0.1 | 0.0 |
Unemployment Rate: Rochester, New York, National
Note: Recessions shown in gray.
Rochester, New York Unemployed
The number of people unemployed in Rochester peaked in April 2020 at 86,750. There are now 68,486 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 15,927 in April 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 2,337. Rochester employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Rochester, New York) is also available.
| Unemployed Persons | October 2023 | Month/Month | Year/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rochester | 18,264 | +1,030 | +630 |
Number of Unemployed Persons
Rochester, New York Unemployment History
| Date | National Unemployment Rate |
New York Unemployment Rate |
Rochester Unemployment Rate |
Rochester Unemployed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2023 |
3.7% | — | — | — |
| October 2023 |
3.9% | 4.2% | 3.4% | 18,264 |
| September 2023 |
3.8% | 4.0% | 3.3% | 17,234 |
| August 2023 |
3.8% | 3.9% | 3.1% | 16,645 |
| July 2023 |
3.5% | 3.9% | 3.1% | 16,100 |
| June 2023 |
3.6% | 3.9% | 3.1% | 16,117 |
| May 2023 |
3.7% | 3.9% | 3.1% | 16,030 |
| April 2023 |
3.4% | 4.0% | 3.1% | 15,927 |
| March 2023 |
3.5% | 4.1% | 3.2% | 16,493 |
| February 2023 |
3.6% | 4.2% | 3.3% | 16,921 |
| January 2023 |
3.4% | 4.2% | 3.4% | 17,458 |
| December 2022 |
3.5% | 4.1% | 3.4% | 17,522 |
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
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