Jobless rate dips in Greene County
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Washington County’s unemployment rate held steady from September to October, while Greene’s dropped below 6.0 percent, according to figures from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
The mostly encouraging statewide numbers, released last week, tabbed Washington’s seasonally adjusted unemployment at 6.8 percent, the same as the previous month and well below 7.5 percent in October 2012.
Greene’s rate dipped to 5.9 percent, down from 6.0 in September and a full percentage point below its October 2012 figure of 6.9 percent. That also is a major dropoff from 7.4 percent last December.
The Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area likewise was a winner in October, its jobless rate sliding to 6.7 percent, one-tenth of a point below the previous month. That was the 84th consecutive month – seven years – that Pittsburgh’s rate has been below the national figure.
Seven counties comprise the MSA: Washington, Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland. Greene is separate.
County-by-county jobless statistics are usually available the third week of the month following the measurable period, but were delayed nearly three weeks because of the government shutdown in mid-October.
Butler (6.1 percent) and Allegheny (6.3) counties had the lowest rates in the MSA, followed by Washington and Westmoreland (each 6.8). Fayette had the highest figure at 8.3 percent, but that was well below its 9.7 percent jobless rate in October 2012, the most significant year-over-year improvement in the seven counties.
Seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in the MSA increased about 2,800 from September to October. That was the 10th rise in 12 months, resulting in the addition of 20,300 jobs there in the past year.
Specific industry data, which are not seasonally adjusted, showed that in the MSA from September to October, educational services added 42,000 jobs (schools, colleges recalled staff); leisure and hospitality lost 700 (many were summer employees); and, with public school classes back in session, local government educational services positions grew by 2,800.