The Department of Labor and Industry Friday reported Pennsylvania's unemployment rate was down one-tenth of a percentage point in October to 4.7 percent, its lowest rate in nearly 10 years.
The last time the rate was 4.7 percent was in November 2007. Over the year, the Pennsylvania unemployment rate declined by eight-tenths of a percentage point.
The Commonwealth’s rate remained above that of the United States, which declined by one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.1 percent.
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force was down 16,000 over the month to 6,399,000. For the fourth consecutive month, both resident employment and unemployment declined. Over the year, employment was up 1,000 while unemployment shrank by 58,000 from last October.
Pennsylvania’s nonfarm jobs count was down 4,300 from September’s record high level to 5,973,800 in October. Jobs were down in eight of the 11 supersectors.
The largest supersector movement in October was an increase of 6,000 professional & business services jobs, while the largest drop was a 4,900 decline in trade, transportation & utilities.
Both professional & business services and education & health services reached new record high levels in October.
Total nonfarm jobs in Pennsylvania were up 1.1 percent from October 2016, while jobs in the United States were up 1.4 percent.
Six supersectors in the Commonwealth added jobs over the year. The largest increase over the past 12 months was in professional & business services (up 24,500), while the largest decline was in manufacturing (down 3,600).
NewsClips:
