Jobless rate for Pittsburgh region at record low for 5th consecutive month
The Pittsburgh region’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate for September decreased one-tenth of a percentage point to a record low of 3.5% dating to January 1976, when the rate started being tracked, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
It is the fifth consecutive new monthly record low for the region.
Butler County’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate also decreased one-tenth of a percentage point from 3.3% in August to 3.2% for September.
It still remains the lowest rate in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Pennsylvania’s seasonally adjusted rate also decreased to a new record low of 3.4% over the past month from 3.5%, while the nation’s rate remained the same from August to September at 3.8%.
Butler County’s seasonally adjusted labor force had a slight decrease over the past month from 98,700 to 98,200, with 3,100 people unemployed.
Armstrong, Allegheny, Beaver, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland are the other counties in the Pittsburgh region.
All counties in the region saw their seasonally adjusted rates either decrease or go unchanged over the past month.
Allegheny County had the second lowest rate in the region at 3.5%, while Washington County came in at 3.6% and Westmoreland County at 3.7%.
Fayette County had the highest jobless rate in the region at 4.6%, followed by Beaver County at 4.2% and Armstrong County at 4.1%.
In surrounding counties not classified as part of the Pittsburgh region, Mercer County came in with a jobless rate of 3.9%, Clarion at 4.2%, Lawrence at 4.4% and Venango at 4.5%.
The Gettysburg Metropolitan Statistical Area boasted the lowest seasonally adjusted rates in the state at 2.7% in September, while Lancaster and State College came in just behind at 2.8% each.
East Stroudsburg had the highest rate at 4.7%, while Johnstown came in at 4.4%.
Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh region decreased by 2,500 over the past month to 1,170,000 in September.
Statewide, there was a 1.6% increase in available jobs since September 2022.
Jobs increased from August to September in three of the 11 “supersectors” in the Pittsburgh area — the broadest groups of industries.
The largest increases were seasonal in nature, such as the beginning of the new school year.
Government gained 7,300 jobs over the past month in the state, and educational and health services gained 5,900.
Trade, transportation and utilities also gained 1,300 jobs.
The supersector with the largest decline over the past month was seen in leisure and hospitality, which lost 7,900.
Over the past year, jobs were up in nine of the 11 supersectors, with the largest increase in professional and business services, which gained 4,200 jobs.
