STACKER — 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 North Dakota 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.

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#53. Dunn County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 0.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,304 people (28 unemployed)

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#52. Divide County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 0.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,648 people (15 unemployed)

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#51. Bowman County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,558 people (15 unemployed)

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#50. Mountrail County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 6,590 people (67 unemployed)

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#49. McKenzie County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,364 people (100 unemployed)

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#48. Ransom County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,650 people (30 unemployed)

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#47. Golden Valley County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 849 people (10 unemployed)

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#46. Sargent County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,320 people (27 unemployed)

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#45. Stark County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 18,811 people (227 unemployed)

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#44. Billings County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 606 people (8 unemployed)

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#43. Burke County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,026 people (13 unemployed)

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#42. Grant County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.3%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,261 people (16 unemployed)

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#40. Griggs County (tie)

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,038 people (15 unemployed)

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#40. McIntosh County (tie)

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,059 people (15 unemployed)

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#39. Hettinger County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,380 people (20 unemployed)

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#38. Foster County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,519 people (22 unemployed)

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#37. LaMoure County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,133 people (29 unemployed)

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#36. Dickey County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,258 people (32 unemployed)

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#35. Traill County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.9 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,586 people (66 unemployed)

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#34. Richland County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 8,995 people (123 unemployed)

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#33. Stutsman County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 10,816 people (147 unemployed)

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#32. Williams County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 24,280 people (340 unemployed)

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#31. Burleigh County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 51,784 people (731 unemployed)

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#30. Cass County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.4%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.2 percentage points
– Total labor force: 111,199 people (1,512 unemployed)

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#29. Sheridan County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.7 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 670 people (10 unemployed)

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#27. Adams County (tie)

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 963 people (14 unemployed)

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#27. Steele County (tie)

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 950 people (14 unemployed)

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#25. Renville County (tie)

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.5%
— 1-month change: Up 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,231 people (18 unemployed)

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#25. Towner County (tie)

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.7 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,186 people (18 unemployed)

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#24. Cavalier County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,838 people (28 unemployed)

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#23. Barnes County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,958 people (75 unemployed)

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#22. Grand Forks County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 38,328 people (563 unemployed)

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#21. Wells County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,966 people (32 unemployed)

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#20. Ramsey County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,789 people (90 unemployed)

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#19. Ward County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 32,468 people (521 unemployed)

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#18. Slope County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 353 people (6 unemployed)

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#17. Eddy County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,169 people (20 unemployed)

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#16. McLean County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.5 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,852 people (82 unemployed)

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#15. Nelson County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,495 people (27 unemployed)

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#14. Bottineau County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.0 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,100 people (56 unemployed)

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#13. Morton County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.8%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 17,057 people (307 unemployed)

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#12. Benson County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 1.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.8 percentage points
– Total labor force: 2,401 people (46 unemployed)

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#11. Pierce County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,709 people (34 unemployed)

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#10. McHenry County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.4 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,122 people (61 unemployed)

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#9. Logan County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.1%
— 1-month change: Up 0.2 percentage points
— 1-year change: Up 0.1 percentage points
– Total labor force: 867 people (18 unemployed)

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#8. Kidder County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,358 people (28 unemployed)

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#7. Mercer County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.1%
— 1-month change: Down 0.3 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,740 people (77 unemployed)

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#6. Emmons County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,458 people (37 unemployed)

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#5. Walsh County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.5%
— 1-month change: Down 0.4 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 5,240 people (132 unemployed)

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#4. Pembina County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.6%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.6 percentage points
– Total labor force: 3,282 people (84 unemployed)

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#3. Oliver County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.1 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 0.5 percentage points
– Total labor force: 897 people (24 unemployed)

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#2. Sioux County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 2.7%
— 1-month change: Down 0.6 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.3 percentage points
– Total labor force: 1,245 people (34 unemployed)

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#1. Rolette County

– August unemployment rate (preliminary): 8.9%
— 1-month change: Down 0.8 percentage points
— 1-year change: Down 1.9 percentage points
– Total labor force: 4,863 people (432 unemployed)

This article originally appeared on Stacker, and was produced and distributed through a partnership with Stacker Studio. This article has been republished pursuant to a CC by NC 4.0 License.