How Pennsylvania’s Job Market Compared to the US Over the Last 47 Years

By Sam Stebbins Published Dec 21, 10:45AM EST

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How Pennsylvania’s Job Market Compared to the US Over the Last 47 Years — © Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

In an era of economic uncertainty, the U.S. job market remains resilient. After falling to 3.7% in November 2023, the national unemployment rate has been below 4% for 22 consecutive months, the longest streak in over 50 years.

Of course, if history is any guide, much of the economy is subject to boom and bust cycles — and the job market is no exception. Since the mid-1970s, the average annual unemployment rate in the U.S. has fluctuated between 3.6% and nearly 10%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

These same cyclical patterns are also evident in Pennsylvania, where the job market is supported largely by the retail trade and professional and scientific industries. The annual unemployment rate in the state was 4.4% in 2022, only slightly higher than the state’s lowest recorded annual jobless rate of 4.1%. However, conditions for job seekers have not always been so favorable.

According to historical BLS data going back to 1976, the annual jobless rate has been as high as 11.5% in Pennsylvania. More than once, unemployment in the state has either matched or come close to that peak.

This is how Pennsylvania’s job market has changed in each of the last 47 years.

1976: 8.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.0% (7.7% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 58.3% (61.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 411,229

1977: 7.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.7% (7.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 58.7% (62.3% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 403,030

1978: 6.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.9% (6.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 59.3% (63.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 371,308

1979: 6.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.9% (5.8% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 59.7% (63.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 374,939

1980: 8.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.0% (7.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 60.1% (63.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 442,295

1981: 8.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.4% (7.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 60.1% (63.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 457,325

1982: 11.2% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 11.2% (9.7% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 59.9% (64.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 598,013

1983: 11.5% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 11.5% (9.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 59.7% (64.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 608,191

1984: 9.1% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 9.1% (7.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 59.7% (64.4% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 490,417

1985: 8.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.0% (7.2% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 60.3% (64.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 444,146

1986: 6.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.9% (7.0% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 60.8% (65.3% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 392,611

1987: 5.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.6% (6.2% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 60.9% (65.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 325,587

1988: 5.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.0% (5.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 61.7% (65.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 296,103

1989: 4.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.7% (5.3% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 62.3% (66.5% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 285,709

1990: 5.5% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.5% (5.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.2% (66.5% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 318,971

1991: 7.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.0% (6.8% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.1% (66.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 403,680

1992: 7.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.6% (7.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.5% (66.4% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 440,150

1993: 7.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.0% (6.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.3% (66.3% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 407,324

1994: 6.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.3% (6.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.0% (66.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 373,504

1995: 5.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.9% (5.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 62.9% (66.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 347,038

1996: 5.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.4% (5.4% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.6% (66.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 329,884

1997: 5.1% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.1% (4.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.3% (67.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 311,709

1998: 4.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.6% (4.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.2% (67.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 284,151

1999: 4.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.4% (4.2% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.4% (67.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 272,706

2000: 4.1% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.1% (4.0% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.4% (67.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 257,590

2001: 4.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.8% (4.7% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.9% (66.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 296,087

2002: 5.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.6% (5.8% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.0% (66.6% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 345,240

2003: 5.7% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.7% (6.0% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.1% (66.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 349,833

2004: 5.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.4% (5.5% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.4% (66.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 334,221

2005: 5.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.0% (5.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.5% (66.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 312,755

2006: 4.6% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.6% (4.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.5% (66.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 295,203

2007: 4.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.4% (4.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.6% (66.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 288,943

2008: 5.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.3% (5.8% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 65.1% (66.0% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 342,968

2009: 8.0% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.0% (9.3% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 64.4% (65.4% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 510,165

2010: 8.5% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 8.5% (9.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.3% (64.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 522,107

2011: 7.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.9% (8.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.1% (64.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 495,001

2012: 7.8% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.8% (8.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.5% (63.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 493,614

2013: 7.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 7.4% (7.4% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.1% (63.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 457,707

2014: 5.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.9% (6.2% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 62.6% (62.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 378,984

2015: 5.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.3% (5.3% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 62.9% (62.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 346,753

2016: 5.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 5.4% (4.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.1% (62.8% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 344,247

2017: 4.9% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.9% (4.4% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 62.6% (62.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 323,340

2018: 4.2% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.2% (3.9% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 62.7% (62.9% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 287,771

2019: 4.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.4% (3.7% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 63.1% (63.1% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 285,812

2020: 9.1% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 9.1% (8.1% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 62.3% (61.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 581,383

2021: 6.3% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 6.3% (5.3% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 61.4% (61.7% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 386,386

2022: 4.4% unemployment

Avg. unemployment rate: 4.4% (3.6% nationwide)
Labor force participation rate: 61.8% (62.2% nationwide)
Unemployed population in Pennsylvania: 282,692

Year	Pennsylvania unemployment rate	U.S. unemployment rate	Unemployed population in Pennsylvania
1976	8.0	7.7	411,229
1977	7.7	7.1	403,030
1978	6.9	6.1	371,308
1979	6.9	5.8	374,939
1980	8.0	7.1	442,295
1981	8.4	7.6	457,325
1982	11.2	9.7	598,013
1983	11.5	9.6	608,191
1984	9.1	7.5	490,417
1985	8.0	7.2	444,146
1986	6.9	7.0	392,611
1987	5.6	6.2	325,587
1988	5.0	5.5	296,103
1989	4.7	5.3	285,709
1990	5.5	5.6	318,971
1991	7.0	6.8	403,680
1992	7.6	7.5	440,150
1993	7.0	6.9	407,324
1994	6.3	6.1	373,504
1995	5.9	5.6	347,038
1996	5.4	5.4	329,884
1997	5.1	4.9	311,709
1998	4.6	4.5	284,151
1999	4.4	4.2	272,706
2000	4.1	4.0	257,590
2001	4.8	4.7	296,087
2002	5.6	5.8	345,240
2003	5.7	6.0	349,833
2004	5.4	5.5	334,221
2005	5.0	5.1	312,755
2006	4.6	4.6	295,203
2007	4.4	4.6	288,943
2008	5.3	5.8	342,968
2009	8.0	9.3	510,165
2010	8.5	9.6	522,107
2011	7.9	8.9	495,001
2012	7.8	8.1	493,614
2013	7.4	7.4	457,707
2014	5.9	6.2	378,984
2015	5.3	5.3	346,753
2016	5.4	4.9	344,247
2017	4.9	4.4	323,340
2018	4.2	3.9	287,771
2019	4.4	3.7	285,812
2020	9.1	8.1	581,383
2021	6.3	5.3	386,386
2022	4.4	3.6	282,692

About the Author Sam Stebbins →

Sam Stebbins is a writer at a673b.bigscoots-temp.com where his primary focus is on government policy, politics, companies, and broad social and economic trends. Sam has been writing in the money and news verticals for over 8 years and holds a bachelor's degree from Hobart College, which he earned in 2010. Sam resides in upstate New York and enjoys hiking, biking, canoeing, and skiing in the Adirondack Mountains and across the Northeast.