According to the most recent data from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, the Pittsburgh region’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate for March was 2.8%. Butler Eagle Graphic

Butler County’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate went unchanged from February to March at 2.8%, the lowest in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, according to the most recent data from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.

Overall, the Pittsburgh region’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate for March 2024 also went unchanged over the past month at 3.2%.

In addition, the statewide rate stood unchanged at 3.4%, while the national rate decreased one-tenth of a percentage point to 3.8%.

Armstrong, Allegheny, Beaver, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland are the other counties in the Pittsburgh region.

Westmoreland County came in with the second lowest rate in the region at 2.9%, falling from 3.1% in February.

Allegheny and Washington counties were tied for the third lowest rates in the region at 3.1%, followed by Beaver County at 3.3%, Armstrong County at 3.6% and Fayette County at 4%.

In counties surrounding Butler that are not classified as part of the Pittsburgh region, Mercer County came in with a rate of 3.4%, followed by Venango County at 3.5%, and Clarion and Lawrence counties at 3.7%.

The Gettysburg, Lancaster and State College regions came in with the lowest rates in the state, all at 2.6%, followed by Chambersburg-Waynesboro and Lebanon at 2.8%.

Although its rate decreased over the past month by one-tenth of a percentage point, the East Stroudsburg region remained the highest in the state at 4.2%.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh region increased by 1,600 over the month to upward of 1.17 million in March. Statewide jobs were up by 1.3% since March 2023.

Jobs increased from February to March in nine of the 11 “supersectors” in the Pittsburgh area — the broadest groups of industries.

The largest increase was a seasonal gain in leisure and hospitality, which added 3,000 jobs, followed by education and health services, which added 2,100 jobs.

Seasonal gains were also seen in professional and business services with the addition of 1,700 jobs and in trade, transportation and utilities, which added 1,100 jobs.

Over the past year, education and health services added 9,100 jobs, while leisure and hospitality added 2,500 jobs.

The largest loss in a sector over the past year was in professional and business service, down 2,800 jobs.