Department of Numbers

Salem, Oregon Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Salem fell 0.0 percentage points in February 2021 to 5.9%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points lower than the Oregon rate. The unemployment rate in Salem peaked in April 2020 at 13.1% and is now 7.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.9% in November 2020, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Salem unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate February 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.2% -0.1 +2.7
Oregon 6.1% -0.1 +2.6
Salem 5.9% 0.0 +2.4
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with February 2021 data as March metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Salem, Oregon, National

Salem, Oregon monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Salem, Oregon Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Salem peaked in May 2020 at 26,214. There are now 13,883 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 11,733 in November 2020, the number of unemployed has now grown by 598. Salem employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Salem, Oregon) is also available.

Unemployed Persons February 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Salem 12,331 -66 +5,262

Number of Unemployed Persons

Salem, Oregon Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Oregon
Unemployment Rate		 Salem
Unemployment Rate		 Salem
Unemployed
March
2021		 6.0% — — —
February
2021		 6.2% 6.1% 5.9% 12,331
January
2021		 6.3% 6.2% 5.9% 12,397
December
2020		 6.7% 6.3% 6.3% 12,625
November
2020		 6.7% 6.6% 5.9% 11,733
October
2020		 6.9% 7.0% 6.7% 13,541
September
2020		 7.8% 7.5% 7.8% 15,025
August
2020		 8.4% 8.4% 7.9% 15,432
July
2020		 10.2% 9.6% 9.7% 18,828
June
2020		 11.1% 10.3% 10.7% 21,763
May
2020		 13.3% 11.7% 13.0% 26,214
April
2020		 14.8% 13.2% 13.1% 26,198

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. ↩

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