Venango, Forest jobless rates drop

From staff reports

The tri-county area’s June seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, for the most part, was down from May, according to the state Department of Labor & Industry.

Venango County’s rate of 6.3% is two-tenths of a percentage point below May and nine-tenths of a percentage point lower than April. In June of last year, the rate was 11.0%.

Forest County’s rate of 6.9% is seven-tenths of a percentage point below May and 1.6% lower than April. In June of last year, the rate was 13.1%.

Clarion County, meanwhile, saw its rate increase six-tenths of a percentage point from the previous month, to 6.5%. That’s also the same rate the state reported for the county in April. In June of last year, the rate was 10.0%.

Elsewhere in the region

Mercer County’s rate of 6.8% is one-tenth of a percentage point above May, but eight-tenths of a percentage point lower than April. In June of last year, the rate was 12.7%.

Crawford County’s rate of 6.2% is two-tenths of a percentage point above May, but six-tenths of a percentage point lower than April. In June of last year, the rate was 11.5%.

Pennsylvania, U.S. statistics

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was down one-tenth of a percentage point from May, to 6.9% in June.

The U.S. rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point from May, to 5.9%.

The state’s unemployment rate was 6.4% below its June 2020 level; the national rate was down 5.2% over the year.

Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – decreased 2,000 over the month due to a drop in unemployment, which fell for the fourth consecutive month. Employment rose for the fourth time in the past five months.

Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 11,500 over the month to 5,696,900 in June.

Jobs in the state increased in five of the 11 industry supersectors with the largest volume gain in government, at plus-13,500. The largest drop was in construction, at minus-4,100.

Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 325,400 with gains in 10 of the 11 supersectors. Leisure & hospitality had the largest 12-month gain, adding 126,000 jobs.

Other supersectors include education & health services, logging, financial activities, trade, transportation, utilities, and professional & business services.

All supersectors remained below their February 2020 job levels as of June 2021.

Additional information is available on the state Department of Labor & Industry website at www.dli.pa.gov.