Department of Numbers

Beckley, West Virginia Unemployment

The BLS reported that the unemployment rate for Beckley fell 0.0 percentage points in November 2023 to 4.2%. For the same month, the metro unemployment rate was 0.0 percentage points lower than the West Virginia rate. The unemployment rate in Beckley peaked in April 2020 at 18.1% and is now 13.9 percentage points lower. From a post peak low of 3.3% in April 2023, the unemployment rate has now grown by 0.9 percentage points. You can also compare Beckley unemployment with unemployment in other cities.

Unemployment Rate November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
National 3.7% -0.1 +0.1
West Virginia 4.2% +0.2 +0.1
Beckley 4.2% 0.0 +0.1
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: Beckley, West Virginia, National

Beckley, West Virginia monthly unemployment rate chart

Note: Recessions shown in gray.

Beckley, West Virginia Unemployed

The number of people unemployed in Beckley peaked in April 2020 at 8,266. There are now 6,299 fewer people unemployed in the metropolitan area. From a recent trough of 1,502 in April 2023, the number of unemployed has now grown by 465.

Unemployed Persons November 2023 Month/Month Year/Year
Beckley 1,967 +18 +98

Number of Unemployed Persons

Beckley, West Virginia Unemployment History

Date National
Unemployment Rate
West Virginia
Unemployment Rate
Beckley
Unemployment Rate
Beckley
Unemployed
December
2023
3.7%
November
2023
3.7% 4.2% 4.2% 1,967
October
2023
3.8% 4.0% 4.2% 1,949
September
2023
3.8% 3.8% 4.0% 1,865
August
2023
3.8% 3.6% 3.8% 1,749
July
2023
3.5% 3.4% 3.6% 1,640
June
2023
3.6% 3.3% 3.4% 1,569
May
2023
3.7% 3.3% 3.3% 1,526
April
2023
3.4% 3.3% 3.3% 1,502
March
2023
3.5% 3.4% 3.4% 1,529
February
2023
3.6% 3.7% 3.6% 1,619
January
2023
3.4% 3.9% 3.9% 1,780

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.