Department of Numbers

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Philadelphia fell 0.0 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.5 percentage points lower than the Pennsylvania rate. The unemployment rate in Philadelphia peaked in April 2020 at 14.7% and is now 10.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.8% in November 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Philadelphia 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
Philadelphia 3.8% 0.0 -1.5
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: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, National

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Philadelphia peaked in April 2020 at 449,179. There are now 327,738 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Philadelphia employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Philadelphia 121,441 -169 -44,873

Number of Unemployed Persons

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Pennsylvania
Unemployment Rate
Philadelphia
Unemployment Rate
Philadelphia
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 4.3% 3.8% 121,441
December
2022
3.5% 4.3% 3.8% 121,610
November
2022
3.6% 4.4% 3.8% 122,583
October
2022
3.7% 4.4% 3.9% 124,666
September
2022
3.5% 4.3% 4.0% 128,203
August
2022
3.7% 4.3% 4.2% 132,919
July
2022
3.5% 4.3% 4.2% 133,454
June
2022
3.6% 4.3% 4.3% 137,099
May
2022
3.6% 4.3% 4.4% 140,197
April
2022
3.6% 4.3% 4.6% 145,517
March
2022
3.6% 4.4% 4.8% 149,974

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.