Department of Numbers

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pennsylvania Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Philadelphia fell 0.0 percentage points in November 2023 to 3.7%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the Pennsylvania rate. The unemployment rate in Philadelphia peaked in April 2020 at 14.3% and is now 10.6 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.6% in July 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.1 percentage points. You can also compare Philadelphia unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
Pennsylvania 3.4% 0.0 -1.0
Philadelphia 3.7% 0.0 -0.3
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: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, National

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Philadelphia peaked in April 2020 at 440,893. There are now 318,351 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 118,028 in July 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 4,514. Philadelphia employment and jobs data (including jobs lost/gained in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is also available.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Philadelphia 122,542 +227 -6,891

Number of Unemployed Persons

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
Pennsylvania
Unemployment Rate
Philadelphia
Unemployment Rate
Philadelphia
Unemployed
December
2023
3.7%
November
2023
3.7% 3.4% 3.7% 122,542
October
2023
3.8% 3.4% 3.7% 122,315
September
2023
3.8% 3.4% 3.7% 120,900
August
2023
3.8% 3.5% 3.7% 120,241
July
2023
3.5% 3.5% 3.6% 118,028
June
2023
3.6% 3.8% 3.7% 119,622
May
2023
3.7% 4.0% 3.7% 120,296
April
2023
3.4% 4.1% 3.7% 121,397
March
2023
3.5% 4.2% 3.8% 124,478
February
2023
3.6% 4.4% 3.9% 127,692
January
2023
3.4% 4.3% 4.0% 128,318

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.