WEST VIRGINIA (Stacker) — Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as economic experts bandy around the idea of a potential recession by 2023. The last economic recession—the Great Recession of 2008-2010—sent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was not until the spring of 2019 that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.
As of May of this year, national unemployment is at 3.6%—as it was in both March and April, marking a three-month stagnation—following a steady drop since that aforementioned COVID-affected peak. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.9% in Nebraska and Utah, to 5.3% in New Mexico and 5.8% in the District of Columbia. Further breakdown by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows yet another county-based spectrum within each state.
To that end, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in West Virginia using data from the BLS. Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in April 2022, which as of this writing is the most current Bureau data.
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#55. Jefferson County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.02%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
– Total labor force: 30,658 (620 unemployed)
2 / 55W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons
#54. Pendleton County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.13%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
– Total labor force: 3,760 (80 unemployed)
3 / 55John Phelan // Wikimedia Commons
#53. Hampshire County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.17%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.4%
– Total labor force: 11,019 (239 unemployed)
4 / 55MPearsallArt // Wikimedia Commons
#52. Morgan County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.35%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
– Total labor force: 8,482 (199 unemployed)
5 / 55Itsbrandoyo // Wikimedia Commons
#51. Berkeley County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.41%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -1.6%
– Total labor force: 60,013 (1,444 unemployed)
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6 / 55Carol M. Highsmith // Wikimedia Commons
#50. Monroe County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.51%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
– Total labor force: 6,061 (152 unemployed)
7 / 55w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#49. Doddridge County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.60%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
– Total labor force: 3,773 (98 unemployed)
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#48. Putnam County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.89%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
– Total labor force: 27,001 (780 unemployed)
9 / 55Zverzver // Wikimedia Commons
#47. Monongalia County
– Current unemployment rate: 2.95%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
– Total labor force: 57,169 (1,688 unemployed)
10 / 55Taber Andrew Bain // Wikimedia Commons
#46. Greenbrier County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.04%
— 1 month change: -0.7%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
– Total labor force: 15,315 (465 unemployed)
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11 / 55Carol M. Highsmith/Library of Congress // Wikimedia Commons
#45. Cabell County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.20%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -2.2%
– Total labor force: 41,583 (1,331 unemployed)
12 / 55Brandonrush // Wikimedia Commons
#44. Grant County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.30%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
– Total labor force: 5,966 (197 unemployed)
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#43. Mineral County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.32%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
– Total labor force: 12,128 (403 unemployed)
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#42. Harrison County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.34%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
– Total labor force: 33,609 (1,121 unemployed)
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#41. Summers County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.39%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
– Total labor force: 4,484 (152 unemployed)
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16 / 55Tim Kiser // Wikimedia Commons
#40. Raleigh County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.44%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -2.8%
– Total labor force: 30,132 (1,038 unemployed)
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#39. Wayne County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.49%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -2.3%
– Total labor force: 15,597 (545 unemployed)
18 / 55Famartin // Wikimedia Commons
#38. Preston County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.51%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
– Total labor force: 15,917 (559 unemployed)
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#37. Kanawha County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.57%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -2.6%
– Total labor force: 81,778 (2,921 unemployed)
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#36. Hardy County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.63%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -1.5%
– Total labor force: 5,674 (206 unemployed)
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21 / 55Ebyabe // Wikimedia Commons
#35. Taylor County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.64%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
– Total labor force: 7,905 (288 unemployed)
22 / 55Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States // Wikimedia Commons
#34. Ohio County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.71%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -2.2%
– Total labor force: 20,288 (753 unemployed)
23 / 55Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons
#33. Barbour County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.81%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
– Total labor force: 7,268 (277 unemployed)
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#32. Ritchie County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.81%
— 1 month change: -0.7%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
– Total labor force: 4,303 (164 unemployed)
25 / 55Art Anderson // Wikimedia Commons
#31. Wood County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.81%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
– Total labor force: 36,961 (1,410 unemployed)
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#30. Mason County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.86%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
– Total labor force: 10,054 (388 unemployed)
27 / 55Kenneth C. Zirkel // Wikimedia Commons
#29. Wyoming County
– Current unemployment rate: 3.95%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -2.3%
– Total labor force: 7,334 (290 unemployed)
28 / 55Rudi Weikard // Wikimedia Commons
#28. Marion County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.02%
— 1 month change: -0.3%
— 1 year change: -1.6%
– Total labor force: 25,452 (1,022 unemployed)
29 / 55Springfieldohio // Wikimedia Commons
#27. Jackson County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.02%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -2.5%
– Total labor force: 12,113 (487 unemployed)
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#26. Mercer County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.11%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -2.5%
– Total labor force: 20,835 (856 unemployed)
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#25. Tucker County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.12%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
– Total labor force: 3,323 (137 unemployed)
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#24. Nicholas County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.33%
— 1 month change: -0.7%
— 1 year change: -2.3%
– Total labor force: 9,077 (393 unemployed)
33 / 55Brandonrush // Wikimedia Commons
#23. Boone County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.44%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -2.4%
– Total labor force: 7,251 (322 unemployed)
34 / 55Jimmy Emerson, DVM // Flickr
#22. Brooke County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.45%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
– Total labor force: 9,849 (438 unemployed)
35 / 55Brandonrush // Wikimedia Commons
#21. Logan County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.52%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -3.0%
– Total labor force: 11,099 (502 unemployed)
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36 / 55Rivers A. Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons
#20. Randolph County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.56%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
– Total labor force: 12,047 (549 unemployed)
37 / 55Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons
#19. Webster County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.57%
— 1 month change: -0.7%
— 1 year change: -2.8%
– Total labor force: 3,150 (144 unemployed)
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#18. Fayette County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.60%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -2.5%
– Total labor force: 16,027 (737 unemployed)
39 / 55Michael Barera // Wikimedia Commons
#17. Upshur County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.61%
— 1 month change: -0.5%
— 1 year change: -2.4%
– Total labor force: 9,749 (449 unemployed)
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#16. Hancock County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.90%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
– Total labor force: 13,035 (639 unemployed)
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#15. Lincoln County
– Current unemployment rate: 4.98%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -2.2%
– Total labor force: 7,104 (354 unemployed)
42 / 55Thomsonmg2000 // Wikimedia Commons
#14. Gilmer County
– Current unemployment rate: 5.01%
— 1 month change: -0.8%
— 1 year change: -2.3%
– Total labor force: 2,376 (119 unemployed)
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#13. Marshall County
– Current unemployment rate: 5.12%
— 1 month change: -0.7%
— 1 year change: -2.0%
– Total labor force: 13,372 (685 unemployed)
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#12. Lewis County
– Current unemployment rate: 5.19%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -2.6%
– Total labor force: 6,036 (313 unemployed)
45 / 55Pettingills // Wikimedia Commons
#11. Pocahontas County
– Current unemployment rate: 5.26%
— 1 month change: +1.8%
— 1 year change: -2.8%
– Total labor force: 4,142 (218 unemployed)
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46 / 55OZinOH // Flickr
#10. Wetzel County
– Current unemployment rate: 5.35%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
– Total labor force: 6,957 (372 unemployed)
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#9. Pleasants County
– Current unemployment rate: 5.40%
— 1 month change: -0.6%
— 1 year change: -2.5%
– Total labor force: 2,686 (145 unemployed)
48 / 55w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#8. Braxton County
– Current unemployment rate: 5.70%
— 1 month change: -1.4%
— 1 year change: -1.6%
– Total labor force: 5,015 (286 unemployed)
49 / 55JNix // Shutterstock
#7. Clay County
– Current unemployment rate: 5.87%
— 1 month change: -0.7%
— 1 year change: -3.0%
– Total labor force: 3,033 (178 unemployed)
50 / 55Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#6. Tyler County
– Current unemployment rate: 5.97%
— 1 month change: -0.8%
— 1 year change: -2.6%
– Total labor force: 3,000 (179 unemployed)
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51 / 55w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#5. Wirt County
– Current unemployment rate: 6.05%
— 1 month change: -1.1%
— 1 year change: -2.4%
– Total labor force: 2,281 (138 unemployed)
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#4. McDowell County
– Current unemployment rate: 6.15%
— 1 month change: -0.2%
— 1 year change: -2.2%
– Total labor force: 4,260 (262 unemployed)
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#3. Mingo County
– Current unemployment rate: 6.34%
— 1 month change: -0.4%
— 1 year change: -3.8%
– Total labor force: 6,042 (383 unemployed)
54 / 55Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#2. Roane County
– Current unemployment rate: 6.86%
— 1 month change: -1.1%
— 1 year change: -3.5%
– Total labor force: 5,056 (347 unemployed)
55 / 55Rivers Langley; SaveRivers // Wikimedia Commons
#1. Calhoun County
– Current unemployment rate: 7.76%
— 1 month change: -3.2%
— 1 year change: -4.8%
– Total labor force: 2,565 (199 unemployed)
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