Apr 28, 2015 2 min read

Unemployment rates rose in Washington and Greene counties for a third consecutive month.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry released seasonally adjusted figures Tuesday, listing Washington County’s March rate as 5.3 percent, up 0.1 of a point from February, and Greene’s at 6.0 percent, a leap from 5.0.

For the first time in at least 30 months, Greene’s figure exceeded both the U.S. (5.5) and Pennsylvania (5.3) rates for the same month. Greene’s jobless number jumped 2.1 points, from 3.9 percent, in December. Washington’s figure climbed gradually from 4.9 percent in December.

Washington’s figure was below the U.S. rate for 25 of the past 26 months and matched or was under the state figure for at least the past 30.

Unemployment in both local counties is significantly lower than it was in March 2014, when Washington was at 6.3 percent, Greene at 6.5.

Washington is one of seven counties in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 5.3 percent March rate, up 0.1 from the previous month, but 0.9 down over the year. The MSA also comprises Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland.

Butler had the lowest figure (4.5) and Fayette (7.5) the highest in the MSA. Fayette, however, is 1.2 percent down over the year.

Washington had the third-lowest rate in the MSA, behind Butler and Allegheny (5.1), and ahead of Westmoreland (5.4), Beaver (6.3), Armstrong (6.4) and Fayette.

Centre had the lowest rate among counties in the state, 3.7 percent, and Forest the highest, 8.6.

Nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA decreased by 4,800 in March to 1,162,600. But over the year, they were up 0.6 percent (6,900-plus) in the MSA and 0.9 percent statewide.

There were seasonal job increases in the construction (more than 2,800) and leisure and hospitality (3,600-plus) industries in March, but decreases in health care and social assistance (900) and in other services (1,400).