Counties with the highest unemployment in New York

Written by:
Stacker
May 3, 2024
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Counties with the highest unemployment in New York

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 New York 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 New York.

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#50. Ulster County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 88,122 people (3,437 unemployed)

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#49. Orange County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 190,402 people (7,376 unemployed)

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littlenySTOCK // Shutterstock

#48. Onondaga County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 222,247 people (8,669 unemployed)

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#47. Sullivan County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 38,079 people (1,535 unemployed)

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#46. Ontario County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 56,049 people (2,265 unemployed)

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#45. Schenectady County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 77,678 people (3,092 unemployed)

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Roman Babakin // Shutterstock

#44. Richmond County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 231,792 people (9,302 unemployed)

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pisaphotography // Shutterstock

#43. New York County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 950,568 people (38,432 unemployed)

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#42. Queens County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1.2 million people (46,776 unemployed)

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#41. Chenango County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,742 people (892 unemployed)

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WCohen // Shutterstock

#40. Tioga County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,403 people (918 unemployed)

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#39. Monroe County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 365,180 people (14,961 unemployed)

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#38. Genesee County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 29,258 people (1,233 unemployed)

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#37. Clinton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 35,248 people (1,483 unemployed)

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#36. Seneca County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,185 people (610 unemployed)

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#35. Livingston County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,349 people (1,320 unemployed)

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#34. Chemung County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 34,309 people (1,481 unemployed)

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#33. Cayuga County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 35,226 people (1,515 unemployed)

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#32. Wayne County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 43,446 people (1,870 unemployed)

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#31. Oneida County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 99,557 people (4,275 unemployed)

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#30. Erie County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 446,975 people (19,796 unemployed)

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#29. Franklin County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,848 people (856 unemployed)

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#28. Washington County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,966 people (1,209 unemployed)

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#27. Broome County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 82,927 people (3,748 unemployed)

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#26. Greene County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,493 people (952 unemployed)

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#25. Otsego County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 26,750 people (1,219 unemployed)

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#24. Madison County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 32,716 people (1,490 unemployed)

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#23. Steuben County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 40,413 people (1,862 unemployed)

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#22. Delaware County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 18,443 people (873 unemployed)

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#21. Cattaraugus County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 33,464 people (1,557 unemployed)

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#20. Essex County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,739 people (807 unemployed)

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#19. Allegany County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 20,197 people (962 unemployed)

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#18. Cortland County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,739 people (1,087 unemployed)

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#17. Warren County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 30,772 people (1,480 unemployed)

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#16. Kings County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 1.2 million people (59,138 unemployed)

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#15. Schoharie County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 14,801 people (729 unemployed)

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#14. Orleans County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
- Total labor force: 17,112 people (832 unemployed)

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#13. Chautauqua County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
- Total labor force: 53,021 people (2,616 unemployed)

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#12. Oswego County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 52,607 people (2,611 unemployed)

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#11. St. Lawrence County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 43,277 people (2,227 unemployed)

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#10. Niagara County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 99,017 people (5,014 unemployed)

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#9. Wyoming County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 16,788 people (873 unemployed)

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#8. Montgomery County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 21,866 people (1,138 unemployed)

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#7. Fulton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
- Total labor force: 22,323 people (1,170 unemployed)

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#6. Schuyler County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
- Total labor force: 7,844 people (440 unemployed)

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#5. Herkimer County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
- Total labor force: 27,463 people (1,535 unemployed)

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#4. Jefferson County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 43,858 people (2,467 unemployed)

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#3. Bronx County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
- Total labor force: 612,979 people (35,107 unemployed)

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#2. Lewis County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.0%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
- Total labor force: 11,916 people (718 unemployed)

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#1. Hamilton County

- February unemployment rate (preliminary): 7.3%
--- 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
--- 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
- Total labor force: 2,077 people (152 unemployed)

This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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