Department of Numbers

Harrisburg-Carlisle, Pennsylvania Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Harrisburg fell 0.0 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 1.1 percentage points lower than the Pennsylvania rate. The unemployment rate in Harrisburg peaked in April 2020 at 13.7% and is now 10.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.2% in December 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Harrisburg unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
Pennsylvania 4.3% 0.0 -0.2
Harrisburg 3.2% 0.0 -1.3
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: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, National

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Harrisburg peaked in April 2020 at 40,499. There are now 30,512 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 9,971 in December 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 16. Harrisburg employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Harrisburg 9,987 +16 -3,558

Number of Unemployed Persons

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Pennsylvania
Unemployment Rate
Harrisburg
Unemployment Rate
Harrisburg
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 4.3% 3.2% 9,987
December
2022
3.5% 4.3% 3.2% 9,971
November
2022
3.6% 4.4% 3.3% 10,104
October
2022
3.7% 4.4% 3.3% 10,350
September
2022
3.5% 4.3% 3.4% 10,652
August
2022
3.7% 4.3% 3.6% 10,961
July
2022
3.5% 4.3% 3.5% 10,869
June
2022
3.6% 4.3% 3.6% 11,013
May
2022
3.6% 4.3% 3.6% 11,193
April
2022
3.6% 4.3% 3.8% 11,617
March
2022
3.6% 4.4% 3.9% 11,979

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.