Oct 28, 2014 2 min read

The unemployment rates for Washington and Greene counties plummeted by at least half of a percentage point in September, following two consecutive monthly increases for each.

The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry released seasonally adjusted figures Tuesday, listing Washington County’s rate at 5.2 percent and Greene’s at 4.2. Washington’s fell from 5.8 percent in August; Greene’s from 4.7.

Each county also experienced a significant dropoff from its September 2013 rate. Washington’s figures fell from 6.7 percent (1.5 points) and Greene’s from 6.0 (1.8 points.

Both counties were under the national (5.9 percent) and the state (5.7 percent) jobless figures.

Washington was under the U.S. rate for 19 of the past 20 months and at or below Pennsylvania’s figure for at least the past 24 months. Greene has been below both sets of numbers for at least the past 24 months.

The job market in Washington County improved in September, as the labor force remained at 108,000 but 700 more people (102,400) had jobs. There were 5,600 unemployed, down from 7,300 the previous September.

Greene’s labor force grew by 100 over the month, to 21,600, and 200 more (20,700) were working. The number of jobless workers fell from 1,300 in September 2013 to 900 last month.

Washington is one of seven counties in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, which likewise had 5.2 percent unemployment in September – down from 5.3 percent the previous month. The MSA also includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland.

The September unemployment rate fell in all seven counties, with Allegheny posting the lowest figure (4.8 percent) and Armstrong (6.2) the highest. Washington had the fourth-lowest figure, behind Allegheny, Butler (5.0) and Westmoreland (5.2). Beaver was at 5.7 percent and Fayette 6.1.

The September MSA rate was down 1.3 points over the year.

Of the 14 MSAs, State College had the lowest unemployment (4.2 percent) and Scranton-Wilkes-Barre the highest (6.7).

Nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA decreased by 800 in September to 1,164,700 and were up 5,700 for the year. Retail jobs declined by 2,100 following the end of the summer shopping season.

The start of school fueled gains in related industries such as transportation and warehousing (3,100), colleges and universities (6,500), state government (700) and local government educational services (7,900).