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Special Report

This Is the US City Where the Most People Are Out of Work

Photo of Douglas A. McIntyre
By Douglas A. McIntyre Updated Published
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This Is the US City Where the Most People Are Out of Work

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After crashing from a five-decade best national jobless rate of 3.5% in February to a multi decade high of 14.7% in April, the figure settled at 6.7% in December. Based on the country’s rate over the last five years, that is still high. The total number of people unemployed in December was 10.73 million compared to 5.84 million in December 2019.

Unemployment rates varied significantly by city according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment Summary for December 2020. Among the data the BLS follows each month is the jobless rate in the 51 metropolitan areas with a 2010 Census population of one million or more. In December, among these Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV had an unemployment rate of 10.4%. This has been attributed mostly to the collapse of tourism to gambling mecca due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The lowest rate was 3.5% in both Birmingham-Hoover, AL, and Salt Lake City, UT. The unemployment rate rose in each of the 51 metros from December 2019 to December 2020. 

24/7 Wall St. looked at several ways that city job situations are measured. The first is the unemployment rate most often seen by the public. The next is the size of the civilian labor force in each city. This does not include government or farm workers, or people who work for non-profits. The city with the largest figure for civilian labor force is the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro at 9,521,481. The next data point is the number of people who are unemployed. For New York, this was 797,026 in December. For all other metros we examined, we looked at each of these three figures for both December 2019 and December 2020.

Click here to see the US cities where the most people are out of work.

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

51. Birmingham-Hoover, AL
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 22,486
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 4.1%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 13,603
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.4%
> Population: 1,090,435

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4kodiak / Getty Images

50. Salt Lake City, UT
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 26,059
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 3.8%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 15,812
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.3%
> Population: 1,232,696

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DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

49. Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 26,890
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 4.8%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 16,047
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.8%
> Population: 1,077,370

Sean Pavone / Getty Images

48. Richmond, VA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 34,259
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 5.2%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 19,288
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.8%
> Population: 1,290,866

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Urbanative / Wikimedia Commons

47. Oklahoma City, OK
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 35,784
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 5.2%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 20,945
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.0%
> Population: 1,408,950

Sean Pavone / Getty Images

46. Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 35,877
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 5.4%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 24,599
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.6%
> Population: 1,266,389

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SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

45. Jacksonville, FL
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 38,193
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 4.9%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 22,404
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.8%
> Population: 1,559,514

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SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

44. Raleigh, NC
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 38,524
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 5.4%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 22,946
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.1%
> Population: 1,390,785

Jacek_Sopotnicki / Getty Images

43. Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 40,105
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 7.5%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 25,312
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 4.7%
> Population: 1,127,983

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Davel5957 / Getty Images

42. Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 44,848
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 5.4%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 25,252
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.9%
> Population: 1,765,031

f11photo / Getty Images

41. Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 47,134
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 4.3%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 30,302
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.8%
> Population: 2,076,531

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Sean Pavone / Getty Images

40. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 50,403
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 6.2%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 30,273
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.7%
> Population: 1,575,179

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Sean Pavone / Getty Images

39. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 50,567
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 7.5%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 26,146
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 4.0%
> Population: 1,344,910

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

38. New Orleans-Metairie, LA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 51,108
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 8.6%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 29,590
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 4.9%
> Population: 1,270,530

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Sean Pavone / Getty Images

37. Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 52,017
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 8.2%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 24,036
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.8%
> Population: 1,204,877

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

36. Providence-Warwick, RI-MA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 53,320
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 7.9%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 23,973
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.4%
> Population: 1,624,578

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TriggerPhoto / Getty Images

35. Kansas City, MO-KS
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 55,213
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 4.8%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 38,498
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.3%
> Population: 2,155,068

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traveler1116 / Getty Images

34. Columbus, OH
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 55,564
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 5.1%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 38,792
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.5%
> Population: 2,122,271

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images

33. Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 57,610
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 5.1%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 40,810
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.6%
> Population: 2,219,750

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benedek / Getty Images

32. Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 60,813
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 5.5%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 28,506
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.6%
> Population: 1,933,860

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31. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 66,955
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 6.2%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 26,703
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.4%
> Population: 1,990,660

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dszc / Getty Images

30. Austin-Round Rock, TX
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 67,615
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 5.4%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 32,824
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.6%
> Population: 2,227,083

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Sean Pavone / Getty Images

29. Cleveland-Elyria, OH
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 67,839
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 6.9%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 41,165
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.9%
> Population: 2,048,449

HaizhanZheng / Getty Images

28. Pittsburgh, PA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 78,838
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 6.8%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 58,870
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 4.8%
> Population: 2,317,600

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27. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 79,114
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 6.1%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 41,846
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.1%
> Population: 2,493,221

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

26. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 80,983
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 6.7%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 37,304
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.1%
> Population: 2,550,960

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SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

25. Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 81,178
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 6.1%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 44,898
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.3%
> Population: 2,636,883

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Sean Pavone / Getty Images

24. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 83,808
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 5.8%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 51,291
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.4%
> Population: 2,800,053

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

23. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 85,946
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 5.6%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 44,736
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.8%
> Population: 3,194,831

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22. Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 87,552
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 8.0%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 36,887
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.3%
> Population: 2,363,730

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21. St. Louis, MO-IL
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 89,655
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 6.2%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 51,304
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.4%
> Population: 2,801,423

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20. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 91,619
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 4.7%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 62,898
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.1%
> Population: 3,640,043

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19. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 92,057
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 7.1%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 37,192
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.7%
> Population: 2,608,147

f11photo / Getty Images

18. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 113,461
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 10.5%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 41,851
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.7%
> Population: 2,266,715

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dancestrokes / Getty Images

17. San Diego-Carlsbad, CA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 131,396
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 8.2%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 47,361
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.0%
> Population: 3,338,330

f11photo / Getty Images

16. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 147,691
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 8.5%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 40,378
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.4%
> Population: 2,967,239

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15. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 167,944
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 7.8%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 67,190
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.1%
> Population: 3,979,845

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14. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 179,736
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 7.2%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 97,168
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.8%
> Population: 4,948,203

graphiknation / iStock via Getty Images

13. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 180,028
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 5.8%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 86,658
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.8%
> Population: 6,018,744

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12. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 183,320
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 7.3%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 63,403
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.4%
> Population: 4,731,803

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11. Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 187,795
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 6.9%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 70,021
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.5%
> Population: 4,873,019

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10. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 192,149
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 9.2%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 78,881
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.8%
> Population: 4,650,631

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9. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 201,777
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 6.0%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 101,372
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.9%
> Population: 6,280,697

Sean Pavone / Getty Images

8. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 213,840
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 7.0%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 142,051
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 4.5%
> Population: 6,102,434

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7. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 217,457
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 7.2%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 76,478
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 2.4%
> Population: 6,166,488

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6. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 219,920
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 10.2%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 87,389
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 4.0%
> Population: 4,319,629

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f11photo / Getty Images

5. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 268,752
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 6.7%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 129,028
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.2%
> Population: 7,573,136

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SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images

4. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 284,211
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 8.3%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 131,756
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.8%
> Population: 7,066,140

RudyBalasko / Getty Images

3. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 403,335
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 8.6%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 168,394
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.5%
> Population: 9,457,867

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2. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 637,544
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 9.9%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 263,681
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.9%
> Population: 13,214,799

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1. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
> Unemployed population, Dec 2020: 800,642
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2020: 8.4%
> Unemployed population, Dec 2019: 367,719
> Unemployment rate, Dec 2019: 3.7%
> Population: 19,216,182

Photo of Douglas A. McIntyre
About the Author Douglas A. McIntyre →

Douglas A. McIntyre is the co-founder, chief executive officer and editor in chief of 24/7 Wall St. and 24/7 Tempo. He has held these jobs since 2006.

McIntyre has written thousands of articles for 24/7 Wall St. He is an expert on corporate finance, the automotive industry, media companies and international finance. He has edited articles on national demographics, sports, personal income and travel.

His work has been quoted or mentioned in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, Time, The New Yorker, HuffPost USA Today, Business Insider, Yahoo, AOL, MarketWatch, The Atlantic, Bloomberg, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, Forbes, The Guardian and many other major publications. McIntyre has been a guest on CNBC, the BBC and television and radio stations across the country.

A magna cum laude graduate of Harvard College, McIntyre also was president of The Harvard Advocate. Founded in 1866, the Advocate is the oldest college publication in the United States.

TheStreet.com, Comps.com and Edgar Online are some of the public companies for which McIntyre served on the board of directors. He was a Vicinity Corporation board member when the company was sold to Microsoft in 2002. He served on the audit committees of some of these companies.

McIntyre has been the CEO of FutureSource, a provider of trading terminals and news to commodities and futures traders. He was president of Switchboard, the online phone directory company. He served as chairman and CEO of On2 Technologies, the video compression company that provided video compression software for Adobe’s Flash. Google bought On2 in 2009.

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