What was the unemployment rate in 2019 - NYS Department of Labor historical data question

You can find historical unemployment data on the NYS Department of Labor website under their Labor Statistics section. For 2019, New York's annual unemployment rate was around 3.8%, which was actually pretty low compared to previous years. The monthly rates varied throughout the year but generally stayed between 3.5% and 4.2%. Check their Bureau of Labor Statistics collaboration page for the most accurate historical data.

i remember 2019 being pretty good for jobs, definitely way better than what we had during the recession years

The NYS Department of Labor maintains comprehensive historical employment data going back decades. For 2019 specifically, you'll want to look at their Annual Labor Market Report which shows not just the overall state rate but also metropolitan statistical areas like NYC, Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse, etc. The state rate was 3.8% annually but NYC was slightly higher at around 4.1% while upstate areas varied considerably.

2019 feels like a different world now doesn't it? Back when getting unemployment was relatively rare and the biggest worry was finding the RIGHT job not just ANY job. Those were the days when the NYS Department of Labor offices weren't completely overwhelmed with claims.

For anyone else looking for NYS historical unemployment data, I found that the Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) website also has New York state unemployment rates going back years, including 2019. It's another good cross-reference source if you want to verify the DOL numbers. The data there shows the same 3.8% annual rate for 2019 that others mentioned. Really useful for academic research since it's easily downloadable in different formats.