Department of Numbers

Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, Pennsylvania Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Scranton fell 0.0 percentage points in January 2023 to 4.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.5 percentage points higher than the Pennsylvania rate. The unemployment rate in Scranton peaked in April 2020 at 17.9% and is now 13.1 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.8% in November 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.0 percentage points. You can also compare Scranton 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
Scranton 4.8% 0.0 -1.7
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: Scranton, Pennsylvania, National

Scranton, Pennsylvania monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Scranton, Pennsylvania Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Scranton peaked in April 2020 at 48,461. There are now 35,309 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. Scranton employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Scranton, Pennsylvania) is also available.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Scranton 13,152 -71 -4,571

Number of Unemployed Persons

Scranton, Pennsylvania Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Pennsylvania
Unemployment Rate
Scranton
Unemployment Rate
Scranton
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 4.3% 4.8% 13,152
December
2022
3.5% 4.3% 4.8% 13,223
November
2022
3.6% 4.4% 4.8% 13,300
October
2022
3.7% 4.4% 4.9% 13,482
September
2022
3.5% 4.3% 5.0% 13,841
August
2022
3.7% 4.3% 5.2% 14,192
July
2022
3.5% 4.3% 5.2% 14,306
June
2022
3.6% 4.3% 5.4% 14,740
May
2022
3.6% 4.3% 5.5% 15,109
April
2022
3.6% 4.3% 5.7% 15,641
March
2022
3.6% 4.4% 5.9% 16,093

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.