Department of Numbers

Reading, Pennsylvania Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Reading fell 0.1 percentage points in September 2023 to 3.7%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the Pennsylvania rate. The unemployment rate in Reading peaked in April 2020 at 17.6% and is now 13.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.6% in July 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Reading unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.8% 0.0 +0.3
Pennsylvania 3.4% -0.1 -0.9
Reading 3.7% -0.1 -0.6
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2023 data as October metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Reading, Pennsylvania, National

Reading, Pennsylvania monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Reading, Pennsylvania Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Reading peaked in April 2020 at 36,692. There are now 28,695 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 7,764 in July 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 233. Reading employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Reading, Pennsylvania) is also available.

Unemployed Persons September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Reading 7,997 -42 -1,273

Number of Unemployed Persons

Reading, Pennsylvania Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Pennsylvania
Unemployment Rate
Reading
Unemployment Rate
Reading
Unemployed
October
2023
3.9% 3.4%
September
2023
3.8% 3.4% 3.7% 7,997
August
2023
3.8% 3.5% 3.8% 8,039
July
2023
3.5% 3.5% 3.6% 7,764
June
2023
3.6% 3.8% 3.7% 7,931
May
2023
3.7% 4.0% 3.8% 8,021
April
2023
3.4% 4.1% 3.8% 8,167
March
2023
3.5% 4.2% 3.9% 8,439
February
2023
3.6% 4.4% 4.1% 8,814
January
2023
3.4% 4.3% 4.2% 8,944
December
2022
3.5% 4.3% 4.3% 9,146
November
2022
3.6% 4.4% 4.3% 9,142

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.