In the Wednesday, Nov. 1, issue of the Butler Eagle, we learned the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area has seen five consecutive months of record-breaking unemployment data. And Butler County has been the most record-breaking of them all.

Nationally, the average unemployment rate is 3.8%. Pennsylvania’s seasonally adjusted rate decreased to a record low of 3.4% over the past month from 3.5%.

Butler County stands out with a consecutive drop in its seasonally adjusted unemployment rate. The most recent drop is from 3.3% in August to 3.2% for September.

Among the region’s other counties — Armstrong, Allegheny, Beaver, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland — Fayette had the highest rate in the region at 4.6%, followed by Beaver at 4.2% and Armstrong at 4.1%

This information comes at the same time as the Eagle’s Progress preview this week, in which Butler County leaders praised the strength of the county. One county leader said officials from other counties across the state regularly contact county commissioners to ask how Butler County deals with issues.

Officials in both Butler city and county point to efforts to boost entrepreneurship and their success.

“New small businesses are popping up throughout the city,” Mayor Bob Dandoy said.

These numbers come as Information from the Pennsylvania State Data Center indicates Butler County is not only the fastest-growing county in Western Pennsylvania, it’s among only a handful in the region that are growing at all.

In 2010, the population of the county was 183,862. In 2020, that grew to 193,763, an increase of 5.4%. That’s nearly 10,000 more people working and living and learning in our county.

The unemployment numbers, calls from other counties, and population growth can’t be a coincidence.

It says something about our county’s recipe for success. We applaud the leaders, business owners and dedicated workers that keep Butler County growing.

— RJ