Department of Numbers

Erie, Pennsylvania Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Erie rose 0.2 percentage points in February 2021 to 8.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.5 percentage points higher than the Pennsylvania rate. The unemployment rate in Erie peaked in April 2020 at 17.2% and is now 8.4 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 7.6% in November 2020, the unemployment rate has now grown by 1.2 percentage points. You can also compare Erie unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate February 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
National 6.2% -0.1 +2.7
Pennsylvania 7.3% 0.0 +2.3
Erie 8.8% +0.2 +3.7
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: Erie, Pennsylvania, National

Erie, Pennsylvania monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Erie, Pennsylvania Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Erie peaked in April 2020 at 21,787. There are now 10,748 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 9,297 in November 2020, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,742. Erie employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Erie, Pennsylvania) is also available.

Unemployed Persons February 2021 Month/Month Year/Year
Erie 11,039 +248 +4,469

Number of Unemployed Persons

Erie, Pennsylvania Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Pennsylvania
Unemployment Rate		 Erie
Unemployment Rate		 Erie
Unemployed
March
2021		 6.0% — — —
February
2021		 6.2% 7.3% 8.8% 11,039
January
2021		 6.3% 7.3% 8.6% 10,791
December
2020		 6.7% 7.1% 7.7% 9,412
November
2020		 6.7% 7.1% 7.6% 9,297
October
2020		 6.9% 7.0% 8.2% 10,128
September
2020		 7.8% 7.1% 9.0% 11,172
August
2020		 8.4% 10.2% 11.2% 13,748
July
2020		 10.2% 13.0% 13.2% 16,464
June
2020		 11.1% 13.3% 14.4% 18,015
May
2020		 13.3% 13.5% 14.2% 18,115
April
2020		 14.8% 16.2% 17.2% 21,787

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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