Department of Numbers

Cleveland-Elyria, Ohio Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Cleveland fell 0.1 percentage points in May 2023 to 3.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points higher than the Ohio rate. The unemployment rate in Cleveland peaked in April 2020 at 21.0% and is now 17.2 percentage points lower. You can also compare Cleveland unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% +0.3 +0.1
Ohio 3.6% -0.1 -0.3
Cleveland 3.8% -0.1 -1.0
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with May 2023 data as June metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Cleveland, Ohio, National

Cleveland, Ohio monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Cleveland, Ohio Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Cleveland peaked in April 2020 at 208,234. There are now 169,282 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Cleveland employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Cleveland, Ohio) is also available.

Unemployed Persons May 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Cleveland 38,952 -764 -10,343

Number of Unemployed Persons

Cleveland, Ohio Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Ohio
Unemployment Rate
Cleveland
Unemployment Rate
Cleveland
Unemployed
June
2023
3.6%
May
2023
3.7% 3.6% 3.8% 38,952
April
2023
3.4% 3.7% 3.9% 39,716
March
2023
3.5% 3.8% 4.0% 41,284
February
2023
3.6% 3.9% 4.2% 42,937
January
2023
3.4% 4.0% 4.3% 44,059
December
2022
3.5% 4.1% 4.5% 45,829
November
2022
3.6% 4.1% 4.5% 45,888
October
2022
3.7% 4.2% 4.5% 46,148
September
2022
3.5% 4.1% 4.6% 46,689
August
2022
3.7% 4.1% 4.6% 47,254
July
2022
3.5% 4.0% 4.7% 47,803

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.