Department of Numbers

Asheville, North Carolina Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Asheville fell 0.0 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.7 percentage points lower than the North Carolina rate. The unemployment rate in Asheville peaked in April 2020 at 18.3% and is now 15.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.9% in April 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Asheville unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
North Carolina 3.8% 0.0 +0.2
Asheville 3.1% 0.0 -0.2
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with January 2023 data as February metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Asheville, North Carolina, National

Asheville, North Carolina monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Asheville, North Carolina Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Asheville peaked in April 2020 at 38,947. There are now 31,765 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 6,826 in August 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 356. Asheville employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Asheville, North Carolina) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Asheville 7,182 -65 -346

Number of Unemployed Persons

Asheville, North Carolina Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
North Carolina
Unemployment Rate
Asheville
Unemployment Rate
Asheville
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 3.8% 3.1% 7,182
December
2022
3.5% 3.8% 3.1% 7,247
November
2022
3.6% 3.9% 3.1% 7,321
October
2022
3.7% 3.9% 3.0% 7,153
September
2022
3.5% 3.9% 2.9% 6,854
August
2022
3.7% 3.9% 2.9% 6,826
July
2022
3.5% 3.7% 2.9% 6,846
June
2022
3.6% 3.6% 3.0% 6,970
May
2022
3.6% 3.4% 2.9% 6,883
April
2022
3.6% 3.3% 2.9% 6,882
March
2022
3.6% 3.3% 3.0% 6,924

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.