NYS Department of Labor unemployment rate history - what was unemployment when obama left office?
I'm doing some research for a paper and trying to find historical unemployment data for New York State. Does anyone know what the unemployment rate was when Obama left office in January 2017? I've been looking through the NYS Department of Labor website but can't find the specific monthly data I need. Also wondering how that compared to when he started in 2009 during the financial crisis. Any help would be appreciated!
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Anna Kerber
I remember it being around 4.7% nationally when Obama left office in January 2017. For New York specifically, I think it was slightly lower, maybe around 4.3-4.4%. The NYS Department of Labor keeps historical data on their website under the Labor Statistics section. You might also want to check the Bureau of Labor Statistics for more detailed breakdowns.
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Roger Romero
•Thanks! That's really helpful. Do you know if those numbers include people who had exhausted their unemployment benefits or just active claimants?
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Niko Ramsey
Yeah, New York's unemployment rate was 4.3% in January 2017 according to NYS Department of Labor records. That was a huge improvement from the peak of over 8% during the recession in 2009-2010. The recovery was pretty steady throughout Obama's presidency. If you need the exact monthly data, the NYS Department of Labor publishes monthly employment reports that go back years.
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Seraphina Delan
•Wow, 8% seems so high compared to now. I remember my dad being out of work for almost a year during that time and having so much trouble with his unemployment claims.
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Jabari-Jo
just looked this up because i was curious too - January 2017 was 4.3% for NY state. crazy how much things changed from the financial crisis. back then the NYS Department of Labor offices were packed and people were waiting weeks just to file claims
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Kristin Frank
For your research, you should know that unemployment rates only count people actively looking for work. So someone who gave up searching or wasn't eligible for benefits wouldn't be included in that 4.3% figure. The NYS Department of Labor also tracks underemployment and labor force participation rates if you need a more complete picture for your paper.
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Roger Romero
•That's a great point about the methodology. I'll make sure to include that distinction in my analysis. Do you know where I can find the labor force participation data?
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