The U.S. job market has healed a lot from the damage done by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the national unemployment rate is currently at 3.7%, which is 75% lower than the peak of 14.7% during April 2020. Unfortunately, high levels of inflation and the threat of a recession on the horizon could cause a surge in unemployment in the near future. Some cities’ jobs have weathered the storm better than others, though.
In order to identify where workers have been most affected by the current economic struggles, WalletHub compared 180 cities based on five key metrics. We looked at the change in each city’s unemployment during the latest month for which data was available (August 2022) compared to July 2022, August 2021, August 2020 and August 2019. We also considered each city’s overall unemployment rate.
Main Findings
Unemployment Rate Changes by City
Overall Rank | City | Unemployment Rate (August 2022) | Change in Unemployment (August 2022 vs July 2022) | Change in Unemployment (August 2022 vs August 2021) | Change in Unemployment (August 2022 vs August 2020) | Change in Unemployment (August 2022 vs August 2019) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hialeah, FL | 2.20% | 3.51% | -59.05% | -72.19% | -26.85% |
2 | South Burlington, VT | 1.50% | -10.20% | -45.68% | -61.06% | -3.83% |
3 | Miami, FL | 2.30% | 4.12% | -55.08% | -72.15% | -23.82% |
4 | Burlington, VT | 1.80% | -0.45% | -40.51% | -64.15% | -25.59% |
5 | Juneau, AK | 2.30% | -15.19% | -37.29% | -58.56% | -34.53% |
6 | Minneapolis, MN | 2.30% | 3.99% | -36.74% | -75.29% | -30.70% |
7 | St. Paul, MN | 2.50% | 3.57% | -37.53% | -72.81% | -31.04% |
8 | San Jose, CA | 2.50% | 7.94% | -51.12% | -72.69% | -13.43% |
9 | San Francisco, CA | 2.30% | 9.41% | -50.86% | -74.01% | -1.63% |
10 | Pembroke Pines, FL | 2.50% | -1.13% | -35.89% | -72.50% | -15.81% |
11 | West Valley City, UT | 2.10% | -2.20% | -29.76% | -61.30% | -18.31% |
12 | St. Petersburg, FL | 2.60% | -1.84% | -37.08% | -71.34% | -16.53% |
13 | Anchorage, AK | 2.90% | -17.10% | -39.37% | -54.96% | -28.57% |
14 | Cape Coral, FL | 2.60% | -3.58% | -35.33% | -66.42% | -19.08% |
15 | Tampa, FL | 2.80% | -2.09% | -35.87% | -71.68% | -19.42% |
16 | Bismarck, ND | 1.90% | 0.40% | -30.10% | -57.42% | -1.05% |
17 | Fremont, CA | 2.60% | 9.30% | -46.59% | -65.45% | -11.00% |
18 | Salt Lake City, UT | 2.10% | 1.91% | -21.21% | -61.35% | -12.87% |
19 | Garden Grove, CA | 3.30% | 8.37% | -56.03% | -77.25% | -2.90% |
20 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 3.10% | 3.11% | -41.79% | -75.07% | -9.03% |
21 | Orlando, FL | 3.10% | -0.93% | -40.94% | -77.63% | 1.20% |
22 | Santa Ana, CA | 3.00% | 5.34% | -47.59% | -71.14% | -3.34% |
23 | Anaheim, CA | 3.20% | 6.09% | -52.06% | -74.65% | 1.17% |
24 | Santa Rosa, CA | 2.90% | 7.04% | -48.10% | -66.87% | -0.85% |
25 | Fargo, ND | 1.80% | 3.66% | -21.94% | -60.65% | 15.56% |
26 | Manchester, NH | 2.40% | 20.02% | -29.98% | -70.04% | -8.91% |
27 | Huntington Beach, CA | 3.00% | 10.81% | -45.77% | -68.85% | -1.47% |
28 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 3.00% | -0.33% | -32.19% | -61.69% | -18.00% |
29 | Tallahassee, FL | 3.10% | -5.76% | -32.57% | -60.70% | -14.26% |
30 | San Diego, CA | 3.20% | 8.99% | -46.97% | -68.00% | -4.56% |
31 | Nashua, NH | 2.60% | 19.87% | -32.41% | -67.87% | -13.45% |
32 | Huntsville, AL | 2.60% | -9.47% | -15.99% | -59.73% | -4.87% |
33 | Nashville, TN | 2.90% | -10.93% | -26.84% | -68.47% | 15.61% |
34 | Fort Wayne, IN | 3.10% | -14.70% | -26.14% | -61.42% | -3.49% |
35 | Oceanside, CA | 3.40% | 8.04% | -47.65% | -69.25% | -4.98% |
36 | Irvine, CA | 3.00% | 9.21% | -45.37% | -62.43% | 0.74% |
37 | Jackson, MS | 4.00% | -16.81% | -36.05% | -58.52% | -35.82% |
38 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 3.10% | 6.39% | -43.60% | -64.24% | 3.15% |
39 | Jacksonville, FL | 3.10% | -1.48% | -29.09% | -61.11% | -12.37% |
40 | Riverside, CA | 3.50% | 0.28% | -45.57% | -64.52% | -3.53% |
41 | Gulfport, MS | 3.80% | -15.87% | -30.31% | -57.28% | -33.05% |
42 | Lincoln, NE | 2.10% | -5.38% | -6.88% | -37.85% | -24.74% |
43 | Kansas City, MO | 3.40% | -1.52% | -39.59% | -59.03% | -11.19% |
44 | Sioux Falls, SD | 2.00% | 21.45% | -26.17% | -47.17% | -10.71% |
45 | Springfield, MO | 2.70% | 10.86% | -28.51% | -54.82% | -12.45% |
46 | Madison, WI | 2.40% | -2.68% | -14.82% | -52.30% | 2.19% |
47 | Charleston, SC | 2.60% | -0.80% | -27.62% | -60.33% | 26.15% |
48 | Oakland, CA | 3.70% | 8.76% | -48.00% | -70.73% | -0.23% |
49 | Missoula, MT | 2.50% | -1.79% | -11.24% | -53.79% | -6.07% |
50 | Boise, ID | 2.30% | 7.81% | -20.25% | -50.79% | 1.65% |
51 | Baton Rouge, LA | 4.20% | -17.69% | -33.46% | -61.48% | -21.71% |
52 | Santa Clarita, CA | 4.30% | -8.05% | -45.44% | -71.49% | -3.47% |
53 | Billings, MT | 2.60% | -1.27% | -12.39% | -45.48% | -18.42% |
54 | Boston, MA | 3.50% | -2.51% | -37.04% | -70.91% | 23.07% |
55 | Jersey City, NJ | 3.90% | -1.06% | -46.10% | -72.31% | 16.45% |
56 | Albuquerque, NM | 3.90% | -5.73% | -40.77% | -55.13% | -15.28% |
57 | Ontario, CA | 3.60% | 6.57% | -44.41% | -63.92% | 5.04% |
58 | Atlanta, GA | 3.50% | 1.73% | -29.73% | -60.70% | -12.03% |
59 | Indianapolis, IN | 3.30% | -13.23% | -14.80% | -62.35% | 2.50% |
60 | Omaha, NE | 2.70% | -12.61% | -8.49% | -37.93% | -17.24% |
61 | Overland Park, KS | 2.70% | -11.95% | -7.21% | -43.73% | -9.21% |
62 | Fort Smith, AR | 3.10% | -17.85% | -8.93% | -48.23% | -10.24% |
63 | Des Moines, IA | 3.30% | 2.27% | -36.57% | -52.97% | 2.01% |
64 | Chula Vista, CA | 3.90% | 4.75% | -46.89% | -66.64% | 5.39% |
65 | Fontana, CA | 3.80% | 5.04% | -45.86% | -63.52% | 5.01% |
66 | Portland, ME | 2.60% | 7.86% | -42.19% | -48.62% | 39.15% |
67 | Moreno Valley, CA | 4.10% | 4.48% | -48.07% | -64.85% | -5.31% |
68 | Glendale, CA | 4.70% | -4.80% | -52.30% | -74.07% | 3.98% |
69 | Seattle, WA | 2.80% | 6.43% | -17.18% | -62.44% | 16.46% |
70 | Montgomery, AL | 3.80% | -10.58% | -28.98% | -64.77% | 11.74% |
71 | Scottsdale, AZ | 2.90% | 5.35% | -8.08% | -53.21% | -18.54% |
72 | Virginia Beach, VA | 3.00% | 6.83% | -20.03% | -57.58% | 5.45% |
73 | Rapid City, SD | 2.40% | 27.12% | -22.92% | -45.21% | -11.06% |
74 | Louisville, KY | 3.30% | -17.94% | -21.48% | -33.05% | -11.02% |
75 | Shreveport, LA | 4.60% | -18.29% | -32.87% | -59.94% | -19.44% |
76 | Tempe, AZ | 3.20% | 2.48% | -14.72% | -52.29% | -16.09% |
77 | Phoenix, AZ | 3.50% | 3.91% | -22.56% | -55.02% | -17.04% |
78 | Chattanooga, TN | 3.80% | -15.55% | -22.25% | -57.06% | 2.13% |
79 | Sacramento, CA | 4.00% | 7.03% | -44.61% | -63.22% | 2.66% |
80 | Austin, TX | 2.90% | -2.00% | -17.84% | -52.48% | 17.45% |
81 | Wichita, KS | 3.80% | -10.01% | -21.83% | -59.93% | -1.17% |
82 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 3.00% | -11.59% | -21.36% | -30.53% | -1.68% |
83 | Birmingham, AL | 3.90% | -2.45% | -25.89% | -65.57% | 2.03% |
84 | St. Louis, MO | 4.10% | 1.00% | -40.25% | -60.85% | 2.06% |
85 | Honolulu, HI | 3.50% | -1.41% | -32.22% | -70.76% | 49.24% |
86 | Knoxville, TN | 3.30% | -11.96% | -8.91% | -52.95% | 5.50% |
87 | Nampa, ID | 3.00% | -3.12% | -16.40% | -39.00% | -2.36% |
88 | Amarillo, TX | 2.90% | -3.85% | -21.51% | -37.82% | 12.31% |
89 | Plano, TX | 3.20% | -1.47% | -20.08% | -44.94% | 4.81% |
90 | Gilbert, AZ | 2.90% | 7.18% | -5.57% | -45.65% | -14.77% |
91 | Chesapeake, VA | 3.20% | 7.70% | -16.34% | -56.51% | 6.14% |
92 | Casper, WY | 3.80% | 5.82% | -30.87% | -54.19% | -4.52% |
93 | Irving, TX | 3.60% | -3.37% | -25.65% | -52.96% | 12.45% |
94 | Glendale, AZ | 3.60% | 4.77% | -18.08% | -51.24% | -17.15% |
95 | Peoria, AZ | 3.30% | 4.23% | -11.80% | -46.62% | -17.24% |
96 | Pittsburgh, PA | 4.40% | -1.35% | -30.06% | -61.05% | -13.72% |
97 | Little Rock, AR | 3.90% | -15.28% | -21.31% | -54.57% | 16.58% |
98 | Durham, NC | 3.30% | 4.76% | -17.94% | -44.17% | -7.15% |
99 | Huntington, WV | 4.10% | -0.87% | -19.34% | -57.03% | -18.68% |
100 | Los Angeles, CA | 5.00% | -3.33% | -44.28% | -70.21% | 1.97% |
101 | Warwick, RI | 3.30% | 36.16% | -33.39% | -63.00% | 3.28% |
102 | Lubbock, TX | 3.40% | -9.14% | -22.32% | -41.43% | 20.22% |
103 | Long Beach, CA | 5.20% | -1.58% | -46.85% | -70.60% | -4.05% |
104 | Laredo, TX | 4.10% | -8.39% | -29.25% | -53.18% | 11.40% |
105 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 3.80% | 2.93% | -32.65% | -52.36% | 14.39% |
106 | Mesa, AZ | 3.50% | 3.76% | -9.96% | -47.52% | -15.39% |
107 | Raleigh, NC | 3.50% | 3.86% | -18.36% | -44.18% | -6.26% |
108 | San Antonio, TX | 3.80% | -4.46% | -24.70% | -50.73% | 18.35% |
109 | Chandler, AZ | 3.20% | 12.38% | -8.88% | -46.07% | -11.33% |
110 | Las Cruces, NM | 4.60% | -3.15% | -33.86% | -48.00% | -19.93% |
111 | Mobile, AL | 4.40% | -5.75% | -22.26% | -62.28% | 3.26% |
112 | Norfolk, VA | 4.10% | 6.49% | -26.75% | -64.01% | 11.94% |
113 | Dallas, TX | 3.90% | -2.74% | -26.13% | -50.12% | 14.27% |
114 | Arlington, TX | 3.80% | -1.06% | -23.48% | -49.40% | 14.14% |
115 | Cheyenne, WY | 3.10% | 10.54% | -15.16% | -31.07% | -12.17% |
116 | Garland, TX | 3.70% | -1.06% | -20.24% | -47.33% | 12.93% |
117 | Denver, CO | 3.60% | -1.40% | -36.14% | -47.49% | 49.13% |
118 | Reno, NV | 3.50% | 10.46% | -11.70% | -57.40% | 9.16% |
119 | Richmond, VA | 4.10% | 8.56% | -25.92% | -64.30% | 16.05% |
120 | Worcester, MA | 4.60% | -0.07% | -33.51% | -65.14% | 16.33% |
121 | Colorado Springs, CO | 3.60% | -3.97% | -33.00% | -34.12% | 27.41% |
122 | Aurora, CO | 3.90% | -4.59% | -39.26% | -49.37% | 51.22% |
123 | Oklahoma City, OK | 3.20% | 6.12% | -8.06% | -46.14% | 12.69% |
124 | Columbus, OH | 4.00% | 2.29% | -16.97% | -54.85% | 4.10% |
125 | Charleston, WV | 4.20% | 8.17% | -18.47% | -58.50% | -7.30% |
126 | Yonkers, NY | 4.70% | 3.53% | -26.59% | -61.69% | -7.62% |
127 | Modesto, CA | 5.00% | 6.65% | -39.99% | -58.38% | -12.46% |
128 | New Orleans, LA | 5.50% | -19.02% | -35.15% | -63.45% | 3.28% |
129 | Augusta, GA | 4.40% | -0.98% | -20.10% | -47.85% | -15.79% |
130 | Columbia, SC | 3.70% | -5.16% | -19.09% | -45.31% | 29.33% |
131 | Fort Worth, TX | 4.00% | -4.74% | -23.82% | -46.20% | 21.54% |
132 | Charlotte, NC | 3.90% | 6.45% | -18.93% | -46.42% | 2.69% |
133 | Grand Rapids, MI | 4.60% | -8.57% | -24.17% | -54.76% | 12.07% |
134 | Oxnard, CA | 4.70% | 19.27% | -39.51% | -52.54% | -16.04% |
135 | Grand Prairie, TX | 4.10% | -3.18% | -21.53% | -47.52% | 18.18% |
136 | San Bernardino, CA | 5.20% | 5.01% | -43.85% | -62.44% | 5.37% |
137 | Tucson, AZ | 4.30% | 4.87% | -16.40% | -46.86% | -11.31% |
138 | Bakersfield, CA | 5.20% | 15.58% | -39.93% | -60.23% | -11.84% |
139 | Columbus, GA | 4.40% | 8.54% | -18.22% | -46.74% | -13.98% |
140 | Houston, TX | 4.60% | -3.83% | -25.32% | -51.66% | 18.81% |
141 | Lewiston, ME | 3.80% | 3.10% | -42.44% | -24.31% | 38.90% |
142 | Tulsa, OK | 3.70% | 7.11% | -8.28% | -47.45% | 18.46% |
143 | Fresno, CA | 5.30% | 10.23% | -39.02% | -55.23% | -13.35% |
144 | Newport News, VA | 4.40% | 9.56% | -21.12% | -60.88% | 21.52% |
145 | El Paso, TX | 4.40% | -2.84% | -22.11% | -43.28% | 16.25% |
146 | Winston-Salem, NC | 4.40% | 1.88% | -19.63% | -41.18% | 0.83% |
147 | Newark, NJ | 6.10% | -0.48% | -42.46% | -69.76% | 2.89% |
148 | Portland, OR | 4.20% | 12.02% | -16.02% | -57.73% | 26.81% |
149 | Providence, RI | 5.00% | 25.30% | -34.90% | -63.62% | 1.26% |
150 | Spokane, WA | 4.50% | 20.55% | -15.97% | -49.33% | -17.22% |
151 | Cincinnati, OH | 4.80% | 0.18% | -11.53% | -54.39% | 1.59% |
152 | Washington, DC | 5.30% | -4.04% | -28.52% | -41.67% | -8.85% |
153 | Vancouver, WA | 4.60% | 20.58% | -18.39% | -50.29% | -11.68% |
154 | Greensboro, NC | 4.80% | 4.51% | -17.65% | -43.86% | 1.35% |
155 | New Haven, CT | 5.40% | -3.83% | -30.71% | -50.53% | 19.75% |
156 | Akron, OH | 5.20% | 3.03% | -16.28% | -53.59% | 0.77% |
157 | Aurora, IL | 4.70% | 4.05% | -18.03% | -48.95% | 24.58% |
158 | Tacoma, WA | 5.10% | 20.76% | -20.43% | -52.53% | -10.81% |
159 | Cleveland, OH | 6.00% | -8.31% | -25.85% | -60.25% | 13.72% |
160 | Stockton, CA | 6.10% | 7.78% | -37.71% | -55.34% | -8.00% |
161 | Toledo, OH | 5.40% | 4.25% | -20.73% | -52.94% | 7.26% |
162 | Milwaukee, WI | 5.40% | -1.52% | -20.60% | -47.27% | 9.06% |
163 | Corpus Christi, TX | 5.20% | -3.04% | -22.33% | -44.19% | 21.77% |
164 | Salem, OR | 4.50% | 8.52% | -9.67% | -33.81% | 10.10% |
165 | Henderson, NV | 5.20% | 6.52% | -16.79% | -61.60% | 36.75% |
166 | Bridgeport, CT | 6.40% | -4.19% | -34.03% | -56.13% | 12.18% |
167 | Buffalo, NY | 6.00% | 3.02% | -21.31% | -55.37% | -0.20% |
168 | Las Vegas, NV | 5.80% | 2.97% | -21.68% | -64.21% | 32.47% |
169 | Philadelphia, PA | 6.40% | 3.40% | -30.32% | -56.11% | -2.46% |
170 | Detroit, MI | 7.90% | -1.60% | -48.60% | -68.81% | -19.80% |
171 | Memphis, TN | 6.20% | -11.56% | -26.23% | -57.20% | 40.78% |
172 | Chicago, IL | 5.90% | 2.09% | -25.70% | -53.10% | 39.35% |
173 | Baltimore, MD | 5.90% | 5.40% | -23.05% | -33.60% | -0.73% |
174 | Rochester, NY | 6.40% | 6.32% | -17.41% | -51.22% | -1.04% |
175 | Brownsville, TX | 6.50% | -5.75% | -17.83% | -36.98% | 15.17% |
176 | Wilmington, DE | 6.80% | 3.61% | -21.89% | -46.89% | 12.44% |
177 | Fayetteville, NC | 6.30% | 4.57% | -16.47% | -32.03% | 6.96% |
178 | North Las Vegas, NV | 6.70% | 2.94% | -20.97% | -59.30% | 52.48% |
179 | New York, NY | 6.80% | 4.76% | -28.87% | -56.17% | 61.14% |
180 | Dover, DE | 7.20% | -2.87% | -22.31% | -39.78% | 14.44% |

(2022 August vs 2022 July)
- Biggest Decrease
- 1. New Orleans, LA
- 2. Shreveport, LA
- 3. Louisville, KY
- 4. Fort Smith, AR
- 5. Baton Rouge, LA

- Smallest Decrease
- 176. Tacoma, WA
- 177. Sioux Falls, SD
- 178. Providence, RI
- 179. Rapid City, SD
- 180. Warwick, RI

(2022 August vs 2021 August)
- Biggest Decrease
- 1. Hialeah, FL
- 2. Garden Grove, CA
- 3. Miami, FL
- 4. Glendale, CA
- 5. Anaheim, CA

- Smallest Decrease
- 176. Scottsdale, AZ
- 177. Oklahoma City, OK
- 178. Overland Park, KS
- 179. Lincoln, NE
- 180. Gilbert, AZ

(2022 August vs 2020 August)
- Biggest Decrease
- 1. Orlando, FL
- 2. Garden Grove, CA
- 3. Minneapolis, MN
- 4. Fort Lauderdale, FL
- 5. Anaheim, CA

- Smallest Decrease
- 176. Louisville, KY
- 177. Fayetteville, NC
- 178. Cheyenne, WY
- 179. Lexington-Fayette, KY
- 180. Lewiston, ME

(2022 August vs 2019 August)
- Biggest Decrease
- 1. Jackson, MS
- 2. Juneau, AK
- 3. Gulfport, MS
- 4. St. Paul, MN
- 5. Minneapolis, MN

- Smallest Decrease
- 176. Denver, CO
- 177. Honolulu, HI
- 178. Aurora, CO
- 179. North Las Vegas, NV
- 180. New York, NY

(August 2022)
- Lowest
- 1. South Burlington, VT
- T-2. Fargo, ND
- T-2. Burlington, VT
- 4. Bismarck, ND
- 5. Sioux Falls, SD

- Highest
- 176. North Las Vegas, NV
- T-177. New York, NY
- T-177. Wilmington, DE
- 179. Dover, DE
- 180. Detroit, MI
Ask the Experts
In order to provide insight on how to help the unemployed during these times of economic difficulty, WalletHub turned to a panel of experts. Click on the experts below to see their bios and responses to the following key questions:
- What are some measures local authorities can take to assist the unemployed?
- Given the current state of the economy, how long will it take for unemployment rates to return to pre-crisis levels?
- What can those that are newly unemployed be doing right now?
- How has unemployment impacted the current shift in the supply and demand chain of the labor market?
Ask the Experts
Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Organizational Leadership in the Woodbury School of Business; Academic Director of the UVU Center for Social Impact and the UVU SIMLab – Utah Valley University
Read More
Ph.D., Lecturer, Department of Economics – Boston University
Read More
Ph.D. – MacAllister Chair & Professor of Economics – Creighton University
Read More
Methodology
In order to determine the cities with the biggest changes in unemployment, WalletHub compared 180 of the largest cities — including the 150 most populated U.S. cities, plus at least one of the most populated cities in each state — across two categories. In the first category, we compared the change in unemployment for the latest month for which data was available (August 2022) to July 2022, August 2021, August 2020 and August 2019, in order to show the impact since the beginning of the pandemic and the recent changes in the job market amid high inflation. In the second category, we looked at each city’s overall unemployment rate. We then used the average of those categories to rank-order the cities.
Change in Unemployment - Total Points: 50
- Change in Unemployment in August 2022 vs. July 2022: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)
- Change in Unemployment in August 2022 vs. August 2021: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)
- Change in Unemployment in August 2022 vs. August 2020: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)
- Change in Unemployment in August 2022 vs. August 2019: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)
Unemployment Rate - Total Points: 50
- Unemployment Rate (August 2022): Full Weight (~50.00 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.