Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Cleveland fell 0.0 percentage points in December 2018 to 5.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.5 percentage points higher than the Ohio rate. The unemployment rate in Cleveland peaked in December 2009 at 8.9% and is now 3.8 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.7% in September 2015, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.4 percentage points. You can also compare Cleveland unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	December 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.9%	+0.2	-0.2
Ohio	4.6%	0.0	-0.3
Cleveland	5.1%	0.0	-0.3

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with December 2018 data as January metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Cleveland, Ohio, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Cleveland, Ohio Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Cleveland peaked in June 2009 at 93,810. There are now 40,729 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 48,032 in October 2015, the number of unemployed has now grown by 5,049. Cleveland employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Cleveland, Ohio) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	December 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Cleveland	53,081	+47	-2,659

Number of Unemployed Persons

Cleveland, Ohio Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Ohio Unemployment Rate	Cleveland Unemployment Rate	Cleveland Unemployed
January 2019	4.0%	—	—	—
December 2018	3.9%	4.6%	5.1%	53,081
November 2018	3.7%	4.6%	5.1%	53,034
October 2018	3.8%	4.6%	5.1%	53,035
September 2018	3.7%	4.6%	5.1%	53,050
August 2018	3.8%	4.6%	5.1%	53,121
July 2018	3.9%	4.6%	5.1%	52,251
June 2018	4.0%	4.5%	5.0%	51,206
May 2018	3.8%	4.3%	4.8%	49,471
April 2018	3.9%	4.3%	4.8%	49,463
March 2018	4.0%	4.4%	4.9%	50,549
February 2018	4.1%	4.5%	5.1%	52,530