Department of Numbers

Parkersburg-Vienna, West Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Parkersburg fell 0.1 percentage points in January 2023 to 4.2%. 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 17.2% and is now 13.0 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 4.0% in May 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.2 percentage points. You can also compare Parkersburg 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
Parkersburg 4.2% -0.1 -0.2
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: 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 6,393. There are now 4,755 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,574 in May 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 64.

Unemployed Persons January 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Parkersburg 1,638 -42 -82

Number of Unemployed Persons

Parkersburg, West Virginia Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
West Virginia
Unemployment Rate
Parkersburg
Unemployment Rate
Parkersburg
Unemployed
February
2023
3.6%
January
2023
3.4% 3.9% 4.2% 1,638
December
2022
3.5% 4.1% 4.3% 1,680
November
2022
3.6% 4.1% 4.3% 1,695
October
2022
3.7% 4.1% 4.2% 1,661
September
2022
3.5% 4.1% 4.1% 1,637
August
2022
3.7% 4.1% 4.1% 1,626
July
2022
3.5% 4.0% 4.0% 1,590
June
2022
3.6% 3.9% 4.0% 1,575
May
2022
3.6% 3.8% 4.0% 1,574
April
2022
3.6% 3.7% 4.1% 1,598
March
2022
3.6% 3.6% 4.1% 1,611

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.