June jobless rates rise 0.5 percent in Washington, Greene
The unemployment rates in Washington and Greene counties each jumped five-tenths of a percentage point in June.
Washington’s rate rose to 4.3 percent and Greene’s to 4.8 percent, according to seasonally adjusted figures released Tuesday by the state Department of Labor & Industry. Over the year, unemployment has declined significantly in both counties – nine-tenths of a point in Washington (from 5.2) and a full percentage point in Greene (from 5.8).
The Washington County figure equals the Pennsylvania rate of 4.3 percent. After hovering above the state figure for more than two years, Washington’s rate has been at or below that level for three consecutive months.
Those rates weren’t the only ones in the region on the ascent. The jobless rate for the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area rose two-tenths to 4.1 percent. The U.S. rate also climbed, going up two-tenths to 4.0
Washington County’s labor force, according to Labor & Industry, was 105,000 in June; there were 4,500 listed as out of work. Greene, for the second straight month, had a labor force of 16,300 and 800 unemployed.
Washington and Westmoreland tied for the third-lowest countywide rate in the MSA, which also consists of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler and Fayette counties, plus Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh MSA had the 10th-lowest jobless rate among Pennsylvania’s 18 MSAs.
Butler had the lowest unemployment figure in the MSA, 3.8 percent – just ahead of Allegheny (4.0). Beaver (4.5), Armstrong (4.9) and Fayette (5.6) ranked fifth through seventh. Fayette’s rate jumped six-tenths of a point from May, but that was well below its June 2017 figure of 6.7 percent.
Among the state’s 67 counties, Adams and Chester shared the lowest jobless rate (each 3.0 percent) for the second month in a row. Forest (6.5) had the highest.
Total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA decreased by 3,700 from May to June. Over the year, jobs increased by 0.8 percent in the MSA, a bump of 8,900. Jobs statewide increased by 1.3 percent.
Because of seasonal hiring, the leisure and hospitality (129,800) and construction (63,200) supersectors reached record highs in jobs. Leisure and hospitality added 4,300 and construction posted a gain of 1,500. Education and health services experienced the largest decline over the month, as universities and colleges released some staffers for the summer.