Jobless rate rises in Washington, levels off in Greene
The unemployment rate for Washington County rose again in September and held steady in Greene.
Washington’s figure was 6.5 percent, up one-tenth of a point from August, and Greene’s was 7.6 percent again, according to seasonally adjusted figures released Tuesday by Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
That was the third consecutive monthly increase for Washington, and seventh in nine months this year. The September rates for both local counties were well above those from a year earlier – 5.5 percent in Washington, 5.9 in Greene.
Greene and Washington were above the national (5.0) and Pennsylvania (5.7) jobless figures. Greene has been above both rates since February 2015. Washington has been at or above both for the past 14 months.
Washington’s September labor force (108,100) increased by 400 from August, and the number of employed rose by 300 (to 101,100). But the number classified as unemployed (7,000) increased by 100.
Greene likewise gained 100 in its labor force (to 18,700), with employment also rising by 100 (to 17,300). The number of unemployed stayed at 1,400.
The September jobless rate also rose in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area for a third consecutive month, to 6.0 percent from 5.9 in August. That most recent figure was nine tenths of a point higher than the previous September (5.1). The MSA is composed of Washington, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland counties.
Butler (5.3) had the lowest rate in the seven-county MSA and Fayette (8.6) the highest. Ranking second through fifth were: Allegheny (5.5), Westmoreland (6.1), Beaver (6.4) and Washington (6.5).
Unemployment rates for Pennsylvania’s 67 counties range from Chester (4.1 percent) to Forest (9.0).
The Pittsburgh MSA gained 3,100 nonfarm jobs in September, for a total of 1,161,000. Over the year, however, MSA jobs were down 1,900 (0.2 percent). Jobs were up 0.9 percent statewide over that period.
Pittsburgh’s MSA experienced large swings in seasonal industries during September, gaining 2,300 and 7,300 jobs, respectively, in state government and local government educational services. The leisure and hospitality supersector had the largest decline – 6,100.