The U.S. economy appears to be recovering from the pandemic-induced recession faster than many experts anticipated. According to the most recent jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. added 943,000 jobs in July, considerably more than the 845,000 expected by the economists surveyed by Dow Jones, and the largest single month increase in nearly a year. The report also revised job gains in June from 850,000 up to 938,000.
Strong national job growth in recent months has pushed the unemployment rate down to 5.4%, the lowest level since the beginning of the pandemic. Still, job growth has not benefited all parts of the country equally. In areas where the economy has been struggling long before the pandemic, as well as those where jobs have been slow to come back, local unemployment rates are more than double the current national rate.
Using monthly unemployment from the BLS, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 51 counties and county equivalents, such as independent cities, with the highest unemployment. Counties are ranked by the June 2021 unemployment.
In addition to high unemployment, the counties and county equivalents on this list typically have other indicators reflecting struggling economies. For example, most of these areas have large populations affected by poverty. In all but a handful of these areas, the local poverty rate far exceeds the 13.4% national rate. Here is a look at the poorest counties in every state.
The counties on this list also tend to have relatively small college-educated populations. According to the BLS, the average unemployment rate among labor force participants with a bachelor’s degree was 5.5% in 2020. Meanwhile, 9.0% of those in the labor force with no more than a high school diploma were unemployed that year. Only one county on this list has a bachelor’s degree attainment rate higher than the 32.1% national average. Here is a look at the least educated county in the United States.
Click here to see the 51 counties with the highest unemployment.
To identify the 50 counties with the highest unemployment, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data on unemployment from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics program. Counties and county equivalents were ranked based on unemployment rates for June 2021. Current and historical unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Supplemental data on poverty and educational attainment came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.
51. Petersburg, Virginia
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.0% — tied
> Poverty rate: 24.1%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 19.8%
> Population: 31,362
> Largest place in county: Petersburg
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50. Brooks County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.0% — tied
> Poverty rate: 41.4%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 15.7%
> Population: 7,141
> Largest place in county: Falfurrias
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49. Leflore County, Mississippi
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.0% — tied
> Poverty rate: 36.8%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 18.5%
> Population: 29,222
> Largest place in county: Greenwood
48. Issaquena County, Mississippi
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.0% — tied
> Poverty rate: 36.0%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 3.2%
> Population: 1,361
> Largest place in county: Mayersville
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47. Tulare County, California
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.0% — tied
> Poverty rate: 23.8%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 14.6%
> Population: 461,898
> Largest place in county: Visalia
46. Newton County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.1% — tied
> Poverty rate: 24.4%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 9.7%
> Population: 13,914
> Largest place in county: Newton
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45. Jefferson County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.1% — tied
> Poverty rate: 17.7%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 19.7%
> Population: 254,340
> Largest place in county: Beaumont
44. Atlantic County, New Jersey
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.1% — tied
> Poverty rate: 13.3%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 28.1%
> Population: 266,105
> Largest place in county: Atlantic City
43. Jasper County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.2% — tied
> Poverty rate: 18.5%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 12.9%
> Population: 35,506
> Largest place in county: Jasper
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42. Kauai County, Hawaii
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.2% — tied
> Poverty rate: 8.1%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 29.2%
> Population: 71,769
> Largest place in county: Kapaa
41. Lea County, New Mexico
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.3%
> Poverty rate: 15.8%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 13.6%
> Population: 70,277
> Largest place in county: Hobbs
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40. Crane County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.4% — tied
> Poverty rate: 8.1%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 14.7%
> Population: 4,802
> Largest place in county: Crane
39. Coahoma County, Mississippi
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.4% — tied
> Poverty rate: 34.8%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 16.5%
> Population: 23,255
> Largest place in county: Clarksdale
38. Adams County, Mississippi
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.5% — tied
> Poverty rate: 31.5%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 17.4%
> Population: 31,266
> Largest place in county: Natchez
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37. St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.5% — tied
> Poverty rate: 17.4%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 15.9%
> Population: 43,242
> Largest place in county: Laplace
36. Duval County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.6% — tied
> Poverty rate: 22.8%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 9.0%
> Population: 11,268
> Largest place in county: San Diego
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35. Clay County, Georgia
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.6% — tied
> Poverty rate: 39.5%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 12.5%
> Population: 2,951
> Largest place in county: Fort Gaines
34. Colusa County, California
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.8% — tied
> Poverty rate: 13.0%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 15.0%
> Population: 21,454
> Largest place in county: Colusa
33. Nome Census Area, Alaska
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.8% — tied
> Poverty rate: 21.5%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 16.1%
> Population: 9,988
> Largest place in county: Nome
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32. Sunflower County, Mississippi
> June 2021 unemployment: 11.9%
> Poverty rate: 31.7%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 15.4%
> Population: 26,168
> Largest place in county: Indianola
31. Morris County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 12.0% — tied
> Poverty rate: 17.8%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 14.3%
> Population: 12,373
> Largest place in county: Daingerfield
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30. Sharkey County, Mississippi
> June 2021 unemployment: 12.0% — tied
> Poverty rate: 27.4%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 19.5%
> Population: 4,404
> Largest place in county: Rolling Fork
29. Orleans Parish, Louisiana
> June 2021 unemployment: 12.0% — tied
> Poverty rate: 23.7%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 37.6%
> Population: 390,845
> Largest place in county: New Orleans
28. Skagway Municipality, Alaska
> June 2021 unemployment: 12.2%
> Poverty rate: 6.4%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 29.6%
> Population: 1,107
> Largest place in county: N/A
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27. East Carroll Parish, Louisiana
> June 2021 unemployment: 12.3% — tied
> Poverty rate: 44.6%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 8.9%
> Population: 7,096
> Largest place in county: Lake Providence
26. Santa Cruz County, Arizona
> June 2021 unemployment: 12.3% — tied
> Poverty rate: 23.3%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 20.4%
> Population: 46,480
> Largest place in county: Nogales
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25. Jim Wells County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 12.4% — tied
> Poverty rate: 23.2%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 12.2%
> Population: 40,972
> Largest place in county: Alice
24. Rolette County, North Dakota
> June 2021 unemployment: 12.4% — tied
> Poverty rate: 27.1%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 19.6%
> Population: 14,511
> Largest place in county: Belcourt
23. Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska
> June 2021 unemployment: 12.4% — tied
> Poverty rate: 25.4%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 13.6%
> Population: 5,377
> Largest place in county: Fort Yukon
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22. Presidio County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 12.7% — tied
> Poverty rate: 39.0%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 21.2%
> Population: 6,975
> Largest place in county: Presidio
21. St. Helena Parish, Louisiana
> June 2021 unemployment: 12.7% — tied
> Poverty rate: 18.4%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 16.7%
> Population: 10,297
> Largest place in county: Greensburg
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20. Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska
> June 2021 unemployment: 12.9%
> Poverty rate: 26.1%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 13.2%
> Population: 7,715
> Largest place in county: Kotzebue
19. Perry County, Tennessee
> June 2021 unemployment: 13.0% — tied
> Poverty rate: 26.9%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 11.5%
> Population: 7,962
> Largest place in county: Lobelville
18. Bethel Census Area, Alaska
> June 2021 unemployment: 13.0% — tied
> Poverty rate: 28.3%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 11.9%
> Population: 18,134
> Largest place in county: Bethel
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17. Magoffin County, Kentucky
> June 2021 unemployment: 13.1%
> Poverty rate: 28.3%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 9.5%
> Population: 12,491
> Largest place in county: Salyersville
16. Willacy County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 13.4%
> Poverty rate: 27.0%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 8.9%
> Population: 21,588
> Largest place in county: Raymondville
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15. Bronx County, New York
> June 2021 unemployment: 13.7% — tied
> Poverty rate: 28.0%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 20.1%
> Population: 1,435,068
> Largest place in county: New York
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14. Apache County, Arizona
> June 2021 unemployment: 13.7% — tied
> Poverty rate: 35.5%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 12.3%
> Population: 71,511
> Largest place in county: Chinle
13. Zavala County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 14.3%
> Poverty rate: 33.8%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 10.9%
> Population: 12,039
> Largest place in county: Crystal City
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12. Maverick County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 14.6%
> Poverty rate: 26.9%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 12.7%
> Population: 58,174
> Largest place in county: Eagle Pass
11. Holmes County, Mississippi
> June 2021 unemployment: 15.1%
> Poverty rate: 42.4%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 10.2%
> Population: 17,737
> Largest place in county: Durant
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10. Humphreys County, Mississippi
> June 2021 unemployment: 15.3%
> Poverty rate: 36.4%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 12.8%
> Population: 8,389
> Largest place in county: Belzoni
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9. Zapata County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 15.5%
> Poverty rate: 34.5%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 11.6%
> Population: 14,304
> Largest place in county: Medina
8. Claiborne County, Mississippi
> June 2021 unemployment: 15.6%
> Poverty rate: 41.0%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 24.0%
> Population: 9,089
> Largest place in county: Port Gibson
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7. Luna County, New Mexico
> June 2021 unemployment: 16.5%
> Poverty rate: 27.7%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 12.5%
> Population: 24,083
> Largest place in county: Deming
6. Wilkinson County, Mississippi
> June 2021 unemployment: 16.6%
> Poverty rate: 34.7%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 13.7%
> Population: 8,875
> Largest place in county: Centreville
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5. Imperial County, California
> June 2021 unemployment: 17.5%
> Poverty rate: 24.1%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 15.2%
> Population: 180,701
> Largest place in county: El Centro
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4. Starr County, Texas
> June 2021 unemployment: 18.6%
> Poverty rate: 34.7%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 9.9%
> Population: 64,078
> Largest place in county: Rio Grande City
3. Yuma County, Arizona
> June 2021 unemployment: 20.4%
> Poverty rate: 19.4%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 15.0%
> Population: 209,468
> Largest place in county: Yuma
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2. Jefferson County, Mississippi
> June 2021 unemployment: 21.9%
> Poverty rate: 37.6%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 15.9%
> Population: 7,225
> Largest place in county: Fayette
1. Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska
> June 2021 unemployment: 24.0%
> Poverty rate: 39.0%
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree: 3.9%
> Population: 8,250
> Largest place in county: N/A
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