Department of Numbers

Parkersburg-Vienna, West Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Parkersburg rose 0.2 percentage points in September 2023 to 4.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the West Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Parkersburg peaked in April 2020 at 17.4% and is now 13.3 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.7% in April 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.4 percentage points. You can also compare Parkersburg unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.8% 0.0 +0.3
West Virginia 3.8% +0.2 -0.3
Parkersburg 4.1% +0.2 -0.2
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with September 2023 data as October metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Parkersburg, West Virginia, National

Parkersburg, West Virginia monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Parkersburg, West Virginia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Parkersburg peaked in April 2020 at 6,466. There are now 4,885 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,430 in June 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 151.

Unemployed Persons September 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Parkersburg 1,581 +84 -84

Number of Unemployed Persons

Parkersburg, West Virginia Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
West Virginia
Unemployment Rate
Parkersburg
Unemployment Rate
Parkersburg
Unemployed
October
2023
3.9% 4.0%
September
2023
3.8% 3.8% 4.1% 1,581
August
2023
3.8% 3.6% 3.9% 1,497
July
2023
3.5% 3.4% 3.7% 1,438
June
2023
3.6% 3.3% 3.7% 1,430
May
2023
3.7% 3.3% 3.7% 1,436
April
2023
3.4% 3.3% 3.7% 1,442
March
2023
3.5% 3.4% 3.8% 1,457
February
2023
3.6% 3.7% 3.9% 1,523
January
2023
3.4% 3.9% 4.2% 1,617
December
2022
3.5% 4.1% 4.3% 1,657
November
2022
3.6% 4.1% 4.3% 1,663

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.