Reading, Pennsylvania Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Reading fell 0.0 percentage points in October 2018 to 4.3%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points higher than the Pennsylvania rate. The unemployment rate in Reading peaked in February 2010 at 9.3% and is now 5.0 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.7% in May 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.6 percentage points. You can also compare Reading unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	October 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.7%	0.0	-0.4
Pennsylvania	4.1%	0.0	-0.7
Reading	4.3%	0.0	-0.2

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with October 2018 data as November metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Reading, Pennsylvania, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Reading, Pennsylvania Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Reading peaked in February 2010 at 19,586. There are now 10,450 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 7,720 in May 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 1,416. Reading employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Reading, Pennsylvania) is also available.

Unemployed Persons	October 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Reading	9,136	+45	-469

Number of Unemployed Persons

Reading, Pennsylvania Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	Pennsylvania Unemployment Rate	Reading Unemployment Rate	Reading Unemployed
November 2018	3.7%	—	—	—
October 2018	3.7%	4.1%	4.3%	9,136
September 2018	3.7%	4.1%	4.3%	9,091
August 2018	3.9%	4.1%	4.2%	8,878
July 2018	3.9%	4.2%	4.0%	8,535
June 2018	4.0%	4.3%	3.9%	8,188
May 2018	3.8%	4.5%	3.7%	7,720
April 2018	3.9%	4.7%	4.2%	8,750
March 2018	4.1%	4.8%	4.2%	8,726
February 2018	4.1%	4.8%	4.4%	9,368
January 2018	4.1%	4.8%	4.4%	9,264
December 2017	4.1%	4.8%	4.5%	9,543