Counties with the highest unemployment rate in New Jersey
Unemployment rates, while significantly lower than the alarming pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, remain a subject of concern, notably as bandy around the idea of a by 2023. The last economic recession鈥攖he Great Recession of 2008-2010鈥攕ent rates up to 10% as of October 2009. It was that unemployment finally went down to the same level it sits at now.
As of October of this year, national unemployment is at 3.7%, 0.2% higher than in September. Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate , ranging from just 2.0% in Minnesota, to 4.5% in Illinois and 4.7% 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, compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rate in New Jersey using data from the . Counties are ranked by unemployment rate in September 2022.
#21. Hunterdon County
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -2.1%
- Total labor force: 67,402 (1,312 unemployed)
#20. Morris County
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 264,788 (5,550 unemployed)
#19. Somerset County
--- 1 month change: -0.7%
--- 1 year change: -2.3%
- Total labor force: 176,569 (3,838 unemployed)
#18. Mercer County
--- 1 month change: -0.8%
--- 1 year change: -2.4%
- Total labor force: 211,391 (4,878 unemployed)
#17. Monmouth County
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -2.6%
- Total labor force: 343,918 (7,900 unemployed)
#16. Warren County
--- 1 month change: -1.0%
--- 1 year change: -2.4%
- Total labor force: 59,237 (1,348 unemployed)
#15. Burlington County
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -2.4%
- Total labor force: 248,271 (5,901 unemployed)
#14. Middlesex County
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -2.7%
- Total labor force: 456,274 (11,071 unemployed)
#13. Bergen County
--- 1 month change: -1.0%
--- 1 year change: -3.0%
- Total labor force: 494,299 (12,478 unemployed)
#12. Ocean County
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -2.7%
- Total labor force: 294,393 (7,611 unemployed)
#11. Sussex County
--- 1 month change: -0.9%
--- 1 year change: -2.6%
- Total labor force: 76,556 (1,956 unemployed)
#10. Gloucester County
--- 1 month change: -1.0%
--- 1 year change: -2.6%
- Total labor force: 161,353 (4,317 unemployed)
#9. Hudson County
--- 1 month change: -1.0%
--- 1 year change: -3.3%
- Total labor force: 369,849 (10,794 unemployed)
#8. Union County
--- 1 month change: -1.0%
--- 1 year change: -3.2%
- Total labor force: 284,745 (8,350 unemployed)
#7. Camden County
--- 1 month change: -1.2%
--- 1 year change: -3.2%
- Total labor force: 270,723 (8,256 unemployed)
#6. Cape May County
--- 1 month change: -0.6%
--- 1 year change: -2.8%
- Total labor force: 51,062 (1,703 unemployed)
#5. Salem County
--- 1 month change: -1.4%
--- 1 year change: -3.2%
- Total labor force: 29,925 (1,053 unemployed)
#4. Essex County
--- 1 month change: -1.2%
--- 1 year change: -3.7%
- Total labor force: 382,393 (13,847 unemployed)
#3. Passaic County
--- 1 month change: -1.4%
--- 1 year change: -4.1%
- Total labor force: 247,347 (8,934 unemployed)
#2. Atlantic County
--- 1 month change: -1.2%
--- 1 year change: -4.5%
- Total labor force: 129,485 (4,773 unemployed)
#1. Cumberland County
--- 1 month change: -1.6%
--- 1 year change: -3.2%
- Total labor force: 68,666 (2,537 unemployed)