Parkersburg-Vienna, West Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Parkersburg fell 0.2 percentage points in February 2019 to 5.6%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.4 percentage points higher than the West Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Parkersburg peaked in July 2009 at 9.5% and is now 3.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 5.2% in August 2018, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.4 percentage points. You can also compare Parkersburg unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate	February 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
National	3.8%	-0.2	-0.3
West Virginia	5.2%	0.0	-0.2
Parkersburg	5.6%	-0.2	0.0

Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.¹ All comparisons are made with February 2019 data as March metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Parkersburg, West Virginia, National

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Parkersburg, West Virginia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Parkersburg peaked in July 2009 at 4,144. There are now 1,981 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,973 in August 2018, the number of unemployed has now grown by 190.

Unemployed Persons	February 2019	Month/Month	Year/Year
Parkersburg	2,163	-64	-18

Number of Unemployed Persons

Parkersburg, West Virginia Unemployment History

Date	National Unemployment Rate	West Virginia Unemployment Rate	Parkersburg Unemployment Rate	Parkersburg Unemployed
March 2019	3.8%	5.1%	—	—
February 2019	3.8%	5.2%	5.6%	2,163
January 2019	4.0%	5.2%	5.8%	2,227
December 2018	3.9%	5.1%	5.5%	2,106
November 2018	3.7%	5.1%	5.5%	2,099
October 2018	3.8%	5.1%	5.5%	2,090
September 2018	3.7%	5.1%	5.2%	1,978
August 2018	3.8%	5.1%	5.2%	1,973
July 2018	3.9%	5.2%	5.6%	2,167
June 2018	4.0%	5.2%	5.6%	2,161
May 2018	3.8%	5.3%	5.6%	2,176
April 2018	3.9%	5.4%	5.7%	2,208