Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate increased by one-tenth of a percentage point in January to 5.1 percent. Pennsylvania’s rate was six-tenths of a percentage point below the U.S. rate of 5.7 percent, which also rose a tenth of a point from December.
The Commonwealth’s rate was down by 1.2 percentage points from January 2014 while the national rate declined by 0.9 points over the year.
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force increased by 13,000 in January to 6,365,000. Resident employment was up 10,000 while unemployment was up 3,000.
Total nonfarm jobs were down 3,500 in January to 5,822,000. The January decline followed six consecutive monthly gains. Within industries, the largest increase was in financial activities, up 2,500, while education & health services showed the biggest decline, down 7,300 from a record high level in December.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were up 62,400 (+1.1%). The growth was almost entirely within private industries, with the largest gains in trade, transportation & utilities, education & health services and professional & business services. Only two of the eleven supersectors declined from a year ago – information and government.
The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison.
