Jobless rate for Pittsburgh region at record low for 4th consecutive month
The Pittsburgh region’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate for August decreased one-tenth of a percentage point to a record low of 3.6% dating to January 1976, when the rate started being tracked, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
It is the fourth consecutive new monthly record low for the region.
After months of decline, Butler County’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate increased from 2.7% in July to 3.3% in August.
It still remains the lowest rate in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Pennsylvania’s seasonally adjusted rate remained at its record low of 3.5% over the past month, while the nation’s rate increased slightly from 3.5% to 3.8%.
Butler County’s seasonally adjusted labor force increased by 900 workers from July to August, rounding out at 98,900, with 3,200 people unemployed.
Armstrong, Allegheny, Beaver, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland are the other counties in the Pittsburgh region.
All counties saw an increase in their jobless rate from July to August. Allegheny County had the second lowest rate in the region at 3.6%, while Washington County came in at 3.7% and Westmoreland County at 3.8%.
Fayette County had the highest jobless rate in the region at 4.8%.
Beaver County had a jobless rate of 4.2%, while Armstrong County’s rate was 4.5%.
Although the region did see its overall rate stay about the same, certain individual markets saw increases to their rates because of increased numbers in their labor forces, while employment numbers went unchanged.
In surrounding counties not classified as part of the Pittsburgh region, Mercer County came in with a jobless rate of 4%, Clarion at 4.6%, Lawrence at 4.5% and Venango at 4.4%.
The Gettysburg and Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Areas boasted the lowest seasonally adjusted rates in the state at 2.8%, while State College came in just behind them at 2.9%.
East Stroudsburg had the highest at 4.8%, while Johnstown came in at 4.4%.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh region decreased by 200 over the past month to 1,174,500 in August.
Statewide, there was a 2.6% increase in available jobs since August 2022.
Jobs increased from July to August in five of the 11 “supersectors” in the Pittsburgh area — the broadest groups of industries.
The largest increase was a seasonal increase in construction, which was up 1,000 jobs over the past month.
The largest decline was seen in leisure and hospitality, which lost 3,100 jobs over the past month, while education and health services lost 2,700, and professional and business services lost 1,900.
Since August 2022, jobs were up in 10 of the 11 supersectors; they were lead by education and health services, which added 5,200 jobs over the past year. Professional and business services and leisure and hospitality each added 4,700 jobs over the past year.
