Department of Numbers

Dubuque, Iowa Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Dubuque fell 0.0 percentage points in November 2023 to 3.1%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points lower than the Iowa rate. The unemployment rate in Dubuque peaked in April 2020 at 12.3% and is now 9.2 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.5% in April 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.6 percentage points. You can also compare Dubuque unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
Iowa 3.3% +0.1 +0.2
Dubuque 3.1% 0.0 0.0
Note: Metro level data is now seasonally adjusted.1 All comparisons are made with November 2023 data as December metro level unemployment data has not yet been released.

Unemployment Rate: Dubuque, Iowa, National

Dubuque, Iowa monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Dubuque, Iowa Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Dubuque peaked in April 2020 at 6,844. There are now 5,083 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,433 in April 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 328. Dubuque employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Dubuque, Iowa) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Dubuque 1,761 +30 +15

Number of Unemployed Persons

Dubuque, Iowa Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Iowa
Unemployment Rate
Dubuque
Unemployment Rate
Dubuque
Unemployed
December
2023
3.7%
November
2023
3.7% 3.3% 3.1% 1,761
October
2023
3.8% 3.2% 3.1% 1,731
September
2023
3.8% 3.0% 3.0% 1,673
August
2023
3.8% 2.9% 2.9% 1,638
July
2023
3.5% 2.7% 2.8% 1,596
June
2023
3.6% 2.7% 2.8% 1,575
May
2023
3.7% 2.7% 2.8% 1,571
April
2023
3.4% 2.7% 2.8% 1,576
March
2023
3.5% 2.8% 2.9% 1,624
February
2023
3.6% 2.9% 3.0% 1,677
January
2023
3.4% 3.0% 3.0% 1,696

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.