Counties with the highest unemployment in Connecticut
Counties with the highest unemployment in Connecticut
While today's unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future.
Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Connecticut using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in March 2024, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.
Experts have mixed views of a potential recession. The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.
The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years.
But as of April 2024, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.9%—up slightly from the previous month. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 2% in North Dakota to 5.3% in California.
Read on to see the counties with the highest unemployment in Connecticut.
#8. Tolland County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 86,418 people (3,056 unemployed)
#7. Middlesex County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 94,256 people (3,380 unemployed)
#6. New London County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 134,097 people (5,300 unemployed)
#5. Litchfield County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 104,038 people (4,237 unemployed)
#4. Windham County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 63,321 people (2,674 unemployed)
#3. Hartford County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 478,876 people (20,231 unemployed)
#2. Fairfield County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 483,607 people (20,541 unemployed)
#1. New Haven County
- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 469,706 people (20,570 unemployed)
This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
