The Department of Labor and Industry reported Friday Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was unchanged in July at 5.0 percent. This was the second consecutive month with no change.
The Commonwealth’s rate remained above that of the United States, which was down one-tenth of a percentage point from June to 4.3 percent. Over the year, the Pennsylvania rate declined by one-half of a percentage point.
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force was down 18,000 over the month to 6,456,000. Resident employment decreased by 16,000, while the unemployment count was down 1,000.
Pennsylvania’s nonfarm jobs count was up 29,000 to a record high of 5,953,800 in July. Eight of the eleven supersectors added jobs with the largest movement in manufacturing (up 8,300). For a second consecutive month, both professional & business services and leisure & hospitality rose to new record high levels.
Total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were up 1.0 percent from July 2016, while jobs in the United States were up 1.5 percent. Six supersectors in the commonwealth added jobs over the year, with three adding more than 20,000. The largest increase over the past 12 months was in education and health services (up 27,600), while the largest decline was in government (down 13,500).
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