(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 June of this year, national unemployment is at 3.5%, 0.1% lower than in May, 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 1.8% in Minnesota to 4.9% in New Mexico and 5.5% 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 June 2022, which as of this writing is the most current Bureau data.
Famartin // Wikimedia Commons
#55. Pendleton County
– Current Unemployment rate: 2.7%
— 1 month change: +0.7%
— 1 year change: -0.5%
-Total Labor Force: 3,856 (105 unemployed)
Famartin // Wikimedia Commons
#54. Hampshire County
– Current Unemployment rate: 2.8%
— 1 month change: +0.6%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 11,310 (313 unemployed)
Famartin // Wikimedia Commons
#53. Jefferson County
– Current Unemployment rate: 2.8%
— 1 month change: +0.6%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 31,549 (882 unemployed)
Pubdog // Wikimedia Commons
#52. Morgan County
– Current Unemployment rate: 3.0%
— 1 month change: +0.5%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 8,786 (262 unemployed)
Acroterion // Wikimedia Commons
#51. Berkeley County
– Current Unemployment rate: 3.2%
— 1 month change: +0.7%
— 1 year change: -0.9%
-Total Labor Force: 61,872 (1,949 unemployed)
jpmueller99 from Shenandoah Valley of VA, USA // Wikimedia Commons
#50. Pocahontas County
– Current Unemployment rate: 3.2%
— 1 month change: -1.3%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 4,446 (141 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#49. Doddridge County
– Current Unemployment rate: 3.2%
— 1 month change: +0.7%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 3,873 (124 unemployed)
Famartin // Wikimedia Commons
#48. Grant County
– Current Unemployment rate: 3.6%
— 1 month change: +0.9%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 6,139 (220 unemployed)
Roger B Wise // Wikimedia Commons
#47. Putnam County
– Current Unemployment rate: 3.7%
— 1 month change: +0.9%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 27,567 (1,028 unemployed)
Upstateherd // Wikimedia Commons
#46. Harrison County
– Current Unemployment rate: 3.8%
— 1 month change: +0.6%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 34,628 (1,305 unemployed)
Zverzver // Wikimedia Commons
#45. Monongalia County
– Current Unemployment rate: 3.8%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 56,987 (2,184 unemployed)
Tim Kiser // Wikimedia Commons
#44. Raleigh County
– Current Unemployment rate: 3.9%
— 1 month change: +0.6%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
-Total Labor Force: 31,384 (1,238 unemployed)
Carol M. Highsmith/Library of Congress // Wikimedia Commons
#43. Cabell County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.0%
— 1 month change: +0.9%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 42,418 (1,709 unemployed)
O Palsson // Flickr
#42. Kanawha County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.0%
— 1 month change: +0.6%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 83,700 (3,375 unemployed)
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#41. Taylor County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.0%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -1.0%
-Total Labor Force: 8,045 (325 unemployed)
Antony-22 // Wikimedia Commons
#40. Hardy County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.1%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 5,840 (237 unemployed)
Generic1139 // Wikimedia Commons
#39. Mineral County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.1%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -1.3%
-Total Labor Force: 12,345 (503 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#38. Ritchie County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.1%
— 1 month change: +0.6%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 4,412 (180 unemployed)
Taber Andrew Bain // Wikimedia Commons
#37. Greenbrier County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.1%
— 1 month change: +1.2%
— 1 year change: -0.4%
-Total Labor Force: 16,069 (660 unemployed)
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#36. Tucker County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.2%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -1.6%
-Total Labor Force: 3,460 (145 unemployed)
Famartin // Wikimedia Commons
#35. Preston County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.2%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 15,890 (668 unemployed)
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#34. Wayne County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.2%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 15,897 (669 unemployed)
#33. Ohio County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.2%
— 1 month change: +0.6%
— 1 year change: -1.6%
-Total Labor Force: 21,035 (887 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#32. Summers County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.3%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -0.6%
-Total Labor Force: 4,747 (203 unemployed)
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#31. Wood County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.3%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 37,861 (1,645 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#30. Jackson County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.5%
— 1 month change: +0.9%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 12,482 (562 unemployed)
Famartin // Wikimedia Commons
#29. Randolph County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.7%
— 1 month change: +0.7%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 12,083 (566 unemployed)
Valerius Tygart // Wikimedia Commons
#28. Barbour County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.7%
— 1 month change: +0.9%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 7,471 (354 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#27. Nicholas County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.8%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 9,429 (456 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#26. Webster County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 3,246 (158 unemployed)
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w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#25. Marion County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -0.8%
-Total Labor Force: 25,708 (1,268 unemployed)
Bitmapped // Wikimedia Commons
#24. Mason County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: +1.3%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 10,335 (510 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#23. Marshall County
– Current Unemployment rate: 4.9%
— 1 month change: +0.5%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 13,767 (681 unemployed)
Famartin // Wikimedia Commons
#22. Fayette County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.1%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 16,688 (851 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#21. Mercer County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.1%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -1.7%
-Total Labor Force: 21,469 (1,099 unemployed)
Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons
#20. Logan County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: +0.9%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
-Total Labor Force: 11,400 (590 unemployed)
Jimmy Emerson, DVM // Flickr
#19. Brooke County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -2.2%
-Total Labor Force: 10,171 (527 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#18. Boone County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.2%
— 1 month change: +0.9%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 7,447 (387 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#17. Wyoming County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.3%
— 1 month change: +1.4%
— 1 year change: -1.1%
-Total Labor Force: 7,595 (406 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#16. Lewis County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.4%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 6,279 (337 unemployed)
Generic1139 // Wikimedia Commons
#15. Hancock County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.5%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
-Total Labor Force: 13,432 (735 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#14. Lincoln County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.6%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 7,226 (402 unemployed)
Bitmapped // Wikimedia Commons
#13. Monroe County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.6%
— 1 month change: +3.1%
— 1 year change: +1.5%
-Total Labor Force: 6,344 (353 unemployed)
OZinOH // Flickr
#12. Wetzel County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.6%
— 1 month change: +1.1%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 7,132 (398 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#11. Upshur County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.6%
— 1 month change: +1.3%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 10,099 (570 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#10. Wirt County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.8%
— 1 month change: +0.7%
— 1 year change: -2.2%
-Total Labor Force: 2,323 (134 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#9. Gilmer County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.9%
— 1 month change: +1.4%
— 1 year change: -1.9%
-Total Labor Force: 2,311 (136 unemployed)
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#8. Pleasants County
– Current Unemployment rate: 5.9%
— 1 month change: +0.9%
— 1 year change: -2.3%
-Total Labor Force: 2,755 (163 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#7. Braxton County
– Current Unemployment rate: 6.0%
— 1 month change: +0.7%
— 1 year change: -0.7%
-Total Labor Force: 5,156 (307 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#6. Clay County
– Current Unemployment rate: 6.4%
— 1 month change: +1.2%
— 1 year change: -2.1%
-Total Labor Force: 3,109 (200 unemployed)
Richie Diesterheft from Chicago, IL, USA // Wikimedia Commons
#5. Roane County
– Current Unemployment rate: 6.7%
— 1 month change: +0.8%
— 1 year change: -2.2%
-Total Labor Force: 5,122 (345 unemployed)
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#4. Mingo County
– Current Unemployment rate: 7.0%
— 1 month change: +1.2%
— 1 year change: -2.8%
-Total Labor Force: 6,210 (432 unemployed)
Jimmy Emerson, DVM // Flickr
#3. Tyler County
– Current Unemployment rate: 7.1%
— 1 month change: +1.7%
— 1 year change: -1.2%
-Total Labor Force: 3,125 (221 unemployed)
w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons
#2. Calhoun County
– Current Unemployment rate: 7.3%
— 1 month change: +1.0%
— 1 year change: -2.4%
-Total Labor Force: 2,615 (190 unemployed)
Coal town guy // Wikimedia Commons
#1. McDowell County
– Current Unemployment rate: 7.4%
— 1 month change: +1.5%
— 1 year change: -1.8%
-Total Labor Force: 4,417 (327 unemployed)
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