Jobless rate up slightly in Washington, stays same in Greene
The unemployment rate in Washington County rose slightly in April, while Greene County’s figure remained at 5.1 percent.
Washington’s rate inched up to 4.6 percent, one-tenth of a point higher than in March, according to seasonally adjusted figures released Tuesday by the state Department of Labor & Industry. Over the year, unemployment has declined significantly in both counties – nine-tenths of a point in Greene (from 6.0) and eight-tenths in Washington (from 5.4).
After hovering above the Pennsylvania rate for more than two years, Washington County’s figure was below that of the state (4.7 percent) for a second consecutive month.
The county’s April figure leapfrogged that of the seven-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, which stayed at 4.5 percent. The national rate is 3.9.
Washington County’s labor force, according to Labor & Industry, was 105,000 in April; there were 4,800 listed as out of work. Greene had a labor force of 16,300 and 800 unemployed.
Washington and Westmoreland tied for the third-lowest countywide rate in the MSA, which also consists of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler and Fayette counties, plus Pittsburgh. The Pittsburgh MSA had the 11th-lowest jobless rate among Pennsylvania’s 18 MSAs.
Butler had the lowest unemployment figure in the MSA, 4.1 percent – just ahead of Allegheny (4.2). Beaver (4.8), Armstrong (5.3) and Fayette (6.2) were fifth through seventh. Fayette’s rate jumped two-tenths of a point from March, but that was well below its April 2017 figure of 7.0 percent.
Among the state’s 67 counties, Adams and Chester had the lowest rate (each 3.3 percent) and Forest (7.2) the highest.
Total nonfarm jobs decreased by 300 from March to April in the Pittsburgh MSA. Jobs in the MSA rose by 1.2 percent over the year – an increase of 14,500. Jobs statewide also increased by 1.4 percent.
Because of seasonal hiring, professional and business services had the largest increase in jobs – 4,200 – of any super-sector over the month. Leisure and hospitality (3,700) and construction (2,500) also posted big gains.