Department of Numbers

Charleston, West Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Charleston fell 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 3.8%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.1 percentage points lower than the West Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Charleston peaked in April 2020 at 17.3% and is now 13.5 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.7% in May 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Charleston unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.4% -0.1 -0.6
West Virginia 3.9% -0.2 +0.1
Charleston 3.8% -0.1 -0.4
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: Charleston, West Virginia, National

Charleston, West Virginia monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Charleston, West Virginia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Charleston peaked in April 2020 at 15,911. There are now 12,456 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 3,424 in May 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 31.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Charleston 3,455 -132 -397

Number of Unemployed Persons

Charleston, West Virginia Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
West Virginia
Unemployment Rate
Charleston
Unemployment Rate
Charleston
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 3.9% 3.8% 3,455
December
2022
3.5% 4.1% 3.9% 3,587
November
2022
3.6% 4.1% 4.0% 3,648
October
2022
3.7% 4.1% 4.0% 3,623
September
2022
3.5% 4.1% 3.9% 3,612
August
2022
3.7% 4.1% 3.9% 3,616
July
2022
3.5% 4.0% 3.8% 3,528
June
2022
3.6% 3.9% 3.8% 3,454
May
2022
3.6% 3.8% 3.7% 3,424
April
2022
3.6% 3.7% 3.8% 3,481
March
2022
3.6% 3.6% 3.9% 3,548

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.