Charleston, West Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Charleston fell 0.2 percentage points in April 2018 to 5.4%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.0 percentage points lower than the West Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Charleston peaked in November 2010 at 8.0% and is now 2.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.0% in March 2017, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.4 percentage points. You can also compare Charleston unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	April 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.9%	-0.2	-0.5
West Virginia	5.4%	0.0	+0.4
Charleston	5.4%	-0.2	+0.4

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

Unemployment Rate: Charleston, West Virginia, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Charleston, West Virginia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Charleston peaked in December 2010 at 8,387. There are now 3,208 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 4,764 in April 2017, the number of unemployed has now grown by 415.

Unemployed Persons	April 2018	Month/Month	Year/Year
Charleston	5,179	-175	+415

Number of Unemployed Persons

Charleston, West Virginia Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	West Virginia Unemployment Rate	Charleston Unemployment Rate	Charleston Unemployed
May 2018	3.8%	5.4%	—	—
April 2018	3.9%	5.4%	5.4%	5,179
March 2018	4.1%	5.4%	5.6%	5,354
February 2018	4.1%	5.4%	5.3%	5,096
January 2018	4.1%	5.4%	5.3%	5,049
December 2017	4.1%	5.4%	5.6%	5,344
November 2017	4.1%	5.4%	5.5%	5,261
October 2017	4.1%	5.4%	5.3%	5,080
September 2017	4.2%	5.3%	5.2%	4,996
August 2017	4.4%	5.2%	5.3%	5,033
July 2017	4.3%	5.1%	5.2%	5,003
June 2017	4.3%	5.0%	5.1%	4,879