Statewide data from the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission in October shows an increase of Oklahomans on the unemployment rolls.

This October’s high rate of 3.4% translates to 63,546 unemployed. This compared to last month’s 3.2% rate or 60,403 unemployed people shows an increase of more than 3,000.

Unemployment was below 3% for the first half of the year, but has crept up since July. The lowest recorded rate was in February, which saw a 2.6% rate or 48,947 unemployed.

Meanwhile, national unemployment numbers saw its highest rate this year in January at 4% - or more than 6.5 million people. It decreased and held steady at 3.6 for much of the year and then started seeing increases in August and October. The national rate now remains at 3.7% or just over 6 million people.

Year over year, the unemployment rates in Oklahoma are also closer to the national average in 2022 compared to 2021, separated by only 0.3 percentage points in October compared to last year’s 1.9% difference.