Department of Numbers

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Oklahoma City fell 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 2.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points lower than the Oklahoma rate. The unemployment rate in Oklahoma City peaked in April 2020 at 13.2% and is now 10.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.2% in December 2021, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.7 percentage points. You can also compare Oklahoma City unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
Oklahoma 3.1% -0.1 +0.2
Oklahoma City 2.9% -0.1 +0.7
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: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, National

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Oklahoma City peaked in April 2020 at 87,987. There are now 66,941 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 15,153 in January 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 5,893. Oklahoma City employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Oklahoma City 21,046 -319 +5,893

Number of Unemployed Persons

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Oklahoma
Unemployment Rate
Oklahoma City
Unemployment Rate
Oklahoma City
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 3.1% 2.9% 21,046
December
2022
3.5% 3.2% 3.0% 21,365
November
2022
3.6% 3.2% 3.1% 21,813
October
2022
3.7% 3.2% 3.1% 21,736
September
2022
3.5% 3.2% 2.9% 20,945
August
2022
3.7% 3.2% 2.8% 20,233
July
2022
3.5% 3.1% 2.8% 19,604
June
2022
3.6% 3.0% 2.7% 19,221
May
2022
3.6% 2.9% 2.6% 18,470
April
2022
3.6% 2.8% 2.5% 17,850
March
2022
3.6% 2.8% 2.4% 16,688

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.