Counties with the highest unemployment in West Virginia

(Stacker) — 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.

Experts are mixed in their 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 September 2023, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—equal to the previous month, and up about 0.3 percentage points from the same time last year. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.6% in Maryland to 5.4% in Nevada.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in West Virginia using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in September 2023, 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.

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#55. Pendleton County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,858 people (100 unemployed)

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#54. Hampshire County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,462 people (320 unemployed)

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#53. Jefferson County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 31,456 people (871 unemployed)

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#52. Doddridge County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,922 people (113 unemployed)

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#51. Monroe County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,377 people (187 unemployed)

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#50. Monongalia County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 56,504 people (1,721 unemployed)

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#49. Putnam County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 27,871 people (873 unemployed)

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#48. Tucker County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: No change
– Total labor force: 3,498 people (113 unemployed)

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#47. Summers County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,906 people (158 unemployed)

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#46. Morgan County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,577 people (283 unemployed)

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#45. Harrison County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 33,490 people (1,097 unemployed)

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#44. Grant County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
— 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,189 people (211 unemployed)

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#43. Taylor County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,056 people (276 unemployed)

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#42. Ritchie County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,187 people (147 unemployed)

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#41. Berkeley County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 60,500 people (2,115 unemployed)

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#40. Raleigh County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 30,847 people (1,107 unemployed)

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#39. Cabell County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 42,981 people (1,567 unemployed)

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#38. Greenbrier County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 15,104 people (564 unemployed)

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#37. Pocahontas County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,713 people (142 unemployed)

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#36. Preston County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 15,758 people (596 unemployed)

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#35. Ohio County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 19,877 people (761 unemployed)

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#34. Kanawha County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 80,703 people (3,060 unemployed)

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#33. Marion County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 25,693 people (996 unemployed)

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#32. Wood County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 3.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 37,002 people (1,427 unemployed)

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#31. Jackson County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,663 people (472 unemployed)

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#30. Mineral County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 12,959 people (513 unemployed)

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#29. Lewis County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,418 people (265 unemployed)

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#28. Wayne County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 16,155 people (660 unemployed)

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#27. Fayette County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 16,279 people (665 unemployed)

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#26. Hardy County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,935 people (254 unemployed)

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#25. Wyoming County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,502 people (326 unemployed)

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#24. Mason County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,702 people (461 unemployed)

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#23. Mercer County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 21,406 people (924 unemployed)

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#22. Gilmer County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,317 people (103 unemployed)

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#21. Pleasants County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
— 1-month change: Down 1.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,676 people (119 unemployed)

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#20. Boone County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,141 people (317 unemployed)

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#19. Randolph County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,750 people (512 unemployed)

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#18. Braxton County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,943 people (224 unemployed)

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#17. Lincoln County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,269 people (328 unemployed)

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#16. Upshur County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,641 people (438 unemployed)

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#15. Logan County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 11,004 people (492 unemployed)

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#14. Wetzel County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Down 1.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,390 people (299 unemployed)

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#13. Marshall County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 13,026 people (611 unemployed)

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#12. Barbour County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
— 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 7,560 people (365 unemployed)

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#11. Clay County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: Down 1.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,955 people (145 unemployed)

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#10. Nicholas County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 9,037 people (446 unemployed)

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#9. Calhoun County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
— 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,452 people (123 unemployed)

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#8. Wirt County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
— 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,263 people (115 unemployed)

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#7. Tyler County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
— 1-month change: Down 2.0 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,889 people (147 unemployed)

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#6. Brooke County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,036 people (508 unemployed)

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#5. Mingo County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
— 1-month change: Down 1.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,763 people (354 unemployed)

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#4. Roane County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,835 people (260 unemployed)

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#3. Webster County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,068 people (176 unemployed)

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#2. Hancock County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 13,330 people (776 unemployed)

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#1. McDowell County

– September unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
— 1-month change: Down 1.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,214 people (282 unemployed)

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