Beckley, West Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Beckley rose 0.1 percentage points in February 2018 to 5.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points higher than the West Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Beckley peaked in February 2010 at 9.2% and is now 3.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.0% in May 2017, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.6 percentage points. You can also compare Beckley unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	February 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	4.1%	0.0	-0.6
West Virginia	5.4%	0.0	+0.3
Beckley	5.6%	+0.1	+0.2

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

Unemployment Rate: Beckley, West Virginia, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Beckley, West Virginia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Beckley peaked in February 2010 at 4,614. There are now 2,033 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 2,209 in May 2017, the number of unemployed has now grown by 372.

Unemployed Persons	February 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Beckley	2,581	+69	+150

Number of Unemployed Persons

Beckley, West Virginia Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	West Virginia Unemployment Rate	Beckley Unemployment Rate	Beckley Unemployed
March 2018	4.1%	—	—	—
February 2018	4.1%	5.4%	5.6%	2,581
January 2018	4.1%	5.4%	5.5%	2,512
December 2017	4.1%	5.4%	6.3%	2,815
November 2017	4.1%	5.4%	6.2%	2,758
October 2017	4.1%	5.4%	5.5%	2,442
September 2017	4.2%	5.3%	5.8%	2,561
August 2017	4.4%	5.2%	6.1%	2,687
July 2017	4.3%	5.1%	5.7%	2,544
June 2017	4.3%	5.0%	5.4%	2,400
May 2017	4.3%	5.0%	5.0%	2,209
April 2017	4.4%	5.0%	5.5%	2,463