Brooklyn’s unemployment rate decreases, but is still higher than NYC average

By Jake Samieske

Unemployment has decreased in Brooklyn this spring, although the borough’s unemployment rate remains higher than the national average.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ most recent national unemployment and jobs figures report offers encouraging news for Brooklyn residents who have had to face the economic ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic.

Brooklyn’s unemployment rate decreased from 11.6 percent in March to 11.1 percent in April, as first reported by the Patch. That’s a slight improvement in the context of the vaccination era, but a significant sign of growth relative to April 2020, when the unemployment rate was a whopping 15.7 percent.

While the bureau’s report shows signs of a recovering economy, Brooklyn’s unemployment rate remains substantially higher than New York’s average of 7.8 percent. While the borough’s service industry in particular has suffered over the past year, Brooklyn residents can be encouraged by the city’s ongoing reopening efforts, and the national record number of job openings currently available.