Butler County is doing something right.

Once again, Butler has the lowest jobless rate in the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area at 3.4% in December, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.

The Pittsburgh region’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate — and the statewide rate — both rose one-tenth of a percent from November to December, rounding out at 3.6%. The national rate fell one-tenth of a percent to 4.1%.

More than half residents ages 16 to 64 worked full time, year-round in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

In October, county Commissioner Leslie Osche credited the leadership of government and business, as well as the vibrant manufacturing sector.

“We make things here,” Osche said, “with more manufacturers (over 300) than any other county in the commonwealth, providing a strong economic base, reliable employment, and excellent health care.”

The survey also showed that manufacturing is the fourth largest economic sector in Butler County, with nearly 12,000 workers employed. Education, health care and social services is the largest category with more than 20,000 workers countywide, followed by retail with more than 12,500 and professional, scientific and management, and administrative and waste management services with more than 12,200 employees.

In the second quarter of 2023, the top 10 employers in the county were the federal government, Independence Health, Westinghouse Electric, Cleveland-Cliffs, Walmart, Seneca Valley Area School District, the state higher education system, Butler Area School District, II-VI Incorporated and Penn United Technologies.

As the county looks ahead, Wegmans plans to open a new store in Cranberry Township’s Cranberry Springs Development in 2027, which includes the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex and the Charter Homes Crescent Development and is right across from the Cranberry Woods Development that features the county’s third-highest employer, Westinghouse Electric.

In addition to hiring 400-500 new employees once opened, the new store is already sparking new development in an area that hasn’t stopped growing in years.

It’s no surprise that Butler County works and there’s no telling how many more opportunities are right around the corner.

— KL