While today’s unemployment rates are significantly lower than the COVID-19 pandemic peak of 14.7% experienced in April 2020, the fear of job losses remains as workers stare down an uncertain economic future. Experts are mixed in their views of a potential recession.

The return of student loan payments, continually high gas prices, persistent inflation, and insurance price escalations are just a few of the factors that could limit consumer spending and potentially prompt another recession.

The last economic recession before the pandemic—the Great Recession of 2007-09—sent unemployment rates up to 10% as of October 2009, and a full recovery took years. But as of August 2023, the national unemployment rate remains relatively low at 3.8%—nearly the same as the same month last year, and up about 0.3 percentage points from July. Regional and state employment varies widely depending on local economies.

Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates by state demonstrate a rather sizable spectrum, ranging from just 1.7% in Maryland to 5.4% in Nevada.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the highest unemployment rates in Pennsylvania using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Counties are ranked by their preliminary unemployment rate in August 2023, with initial ties broken by the number of unemployed people within that county, though some ties may remain. County-level unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted.

50. Juniata County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
• Total labor force: 12,643 people (516 unemployed)

49. Wyoming County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.6 percentage points
• Total labor force: 13,777 people (563 unemployed)

48. Snyder County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.3 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
• Total labor force: 19,629 people (804 unemployed)

47. Wayne County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 24,136 people (985 unemployed)

46. Dauphin County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
• Total labor force: 150,977 people (6,188 unemployed)

45. Delaware County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.1%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
• Total labor force: 305,429 people (12,411 unemployed)

44. Bradford County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
• Total labor force: 28,578 people (1,212 unemployed)

43. Lycoming County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 55,260 people (2,329 unemployed)

42. Blair County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 59,695 people (2,523 unemployed)

41. Washington County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
• Total labor force: 105,491 people (4,383 unemployed)

40. Allegheny County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.2%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
• Total labor force: 637,727 people (26,480 unemployed)

39. Mifflin County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 21,248 people (909 unemployed)

38. Columbia County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
• Total labor force: 34,235 people (1,485 unemployed)

37. Westmoreland County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.3%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 177,364 people (7,706 unemployed)

36. Tioga County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.4 percentage points
• Total labor force: 19,431 people (847 unemployed)

35. Northampton County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.4%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
• Total labor force: 165,448 people (7,301 unemployed)

34. Elk County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.4 percentage points
• Total labor force: 14,299 people (642 unemployed)

33. Warren County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
• Total labor force: 17,391 people (791 unemployed)

32. Berks County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.5%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
• Total labor force: 216,815 people (9,666 unemployed)

31. Sullivan County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.6%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
• Total labor force: 2,692 people (125 unemployed)

30. Huntingdon County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.4 percentage points
• Total labor force: 19,295 people (911 unemployed)

29. Armstrong County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.4 percentage points
• Total labor force: 31,456 people (1,488 unemployed)

28. Clearfield County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
• Total labor force: 34,658 people (1,616 unemployed)

27. Crawford County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
• Total labor force: 37,834 people (1,769 unemployed)

26. Northumberland County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
• Total labor force: 42,719 people (2,018 unemployed)

25. Lackawanna County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
• Total labor force: 107,133 people (5,020 unemployed)

24. Lehigh County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.7%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
• Total labor force: 198,905 people (9,367 unemployed)

23. Clinton County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 17,103 people (814 unemployed)

22. Jefferson County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
• Total labor force: 19,375 people (933 unemployed)

21. Somerset County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.6 percentage points
• Total labor force: 31,894 people (1,527 unemployed)

20. Carbon County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 32,663 people (1,567 unemployed)

19. Lawrence County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 38,873 people (1,861 unemployed)

18. Mercer County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 48,029 people (2,310 unemployed)

17. Beaver County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.8%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.5 percentage points
• Total labor force: 82,377 people (3,982 unemployed)

16. Potter County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 4.9%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.5 percentage points
• Total labor force: 6,990 people (343 unemployed)

15. Greene County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.4 percentage points
• Total labor force: 14,950 people (743 unemployed)

14. Clarion County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.1%
  — 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
• Total labor force: 15,846 people (812 unemployed)

13. Venango County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.4 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
• Total labor force: 20,979 people (1,093 unemployed)

12. Schuylkill County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
• Total labor force: 66,248 people (3,427 unemployed)

11. Erie County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
• Total labor force: 126,513 people (6,610 unemployed)

10. Luzerne County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.2%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
• Total labor force: 161,176 people (8,395 unemployed)

9. McKean County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.5 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
• Total labor force: 16,959 people (896 unemployed)

8. Cambria County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.3%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
• Total labor force: 55,459 people (2,930 unemployed)

7. Pike County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
• Total labor force: 26,225 people (1,425 unemployed)

6. Monroe County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
• Total labor force: 83,283 people (4,465 unemployed)

5. Philadelphia County/city

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.4%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
• Total labor force: 745,893 people (40,085 unemployed)

4. Fayette County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.5%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.7 percentage points
• Total labor force: 55,441 people (3,022 unemployed)

3. Indiana County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 5.6%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.7 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
• Total labor force: 35,159 people (1,977 unemployed)

2. Forest County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
  — 1-month change: Up 0.6 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
• Total labor force: 1,667 people (112 unemployed)

1. Cameron County

• August unemployment rate (preliminary): 6.7%
  — 1-month change: Up 1.2 percentage points
  — 1-year change: Up 0.2 percentage points
• Total labor force: 1,959 people (131 unemployed)This story features data reporting by Paxtyn Merten and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.