Washington Co. sees unemployment decline; Greene stands pat
Washington County saw its July unemployment rate fall, while Greene County’s stood pat, according to the latest state statistics.
According to a news release from the state Department of Labor & Industry, Washington County’s preliminary seasonally adjusted jobless rate was 5.1 percent, down 0.2 percent from June’s final rate of 5.3 percent and a full percentage point below the July 2016 rate of 6.1 percent.
Greene County finished July with a preliminary rate of 5.6 percent, the same as June’s, but remained 2.3 percent lower than the July 2016 rate of 7.9 percent.
In Washington County, which has a seasonally adjusted labor force of 105,600, there were 5,400 people without work in July.
In Greene County, which has a seasonally adjusted labor force of 17,200, there were 1,000 jobless last month.
The local rates were in line with the July rate of 4.9 percent in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, which fell 0.2 percent from June.
In addition to Washington County, the Pittsburgh MSA includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland County and the city of Pittsburgh.
According to L&I’s Center for Workforce Information & Analysis, in July, total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA increased 3,600 to 1,168,600. Over the year, jobs were up 0.5 percent (+5,800) in the MSA, while statewide jobs grew 1 percent.
Due to summer break at area public schools, local government educational services had a decrease of 6,600 jobs. Construction jobs were up 1,800, with specialty trade contractors representing 800 of the increase. This was the fifth consecutive over-the-month increase for both industries.