Department of Numbers

Wichita, Kansas Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Wichita fell 0.0 percentage points in November 2023 to 3.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the Kansas rate. The unemployment rate in Wichita peaked in April 2020 at 18.8% and is now 15.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 2.9% in March 2022, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.3 percentage points. You can also compare Wichita unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
Kansas 2.9% 0.0 0.0
Wichita 3.2% 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: Wichita, Kansas, National

Wichita, Kansas monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Wichita, Kansas Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Wichita peaked in April 2020 at 62,470. There are now 52,279 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 9,293 in May 2022, the number of unemployed has now grown by 898. Wichita employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Wichita, Kansas) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Wichita 10,191 -156 +66

Number of Unemployed Persons

Wichita, Kansas Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate		 Kansas
Unemployment Rate		 Wichita
Unemployment Rate		 Wichita
Unemployed
December
2023		 3.7% — — —
November
2023		 3.7% 2.9% 3.2% 10,191
October
2023		 3.8% 2.9% 3.2% 10,347
September
2023		 3.8% 2.8% 3.1% 9,992
August
2023		 3.8% 2.7% 3.1% 9,896
July
2023		 3.5% 2.7% 3.1% 9,850
June
2023		 3.6% 2.8% 3.2% 10,211
May
2023		 3.7% 2.9% 3.2% 10,304
April
2023		 3.4% 2.9% 3.2% 10,395
March
2023		 3.5% 2.9% 3.2% 10,224
February
2023		 3.6% 2.9% 3.2% 10,167
January
2023		 3.4% 2.9% 3.1% 10,071

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. ↩

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