November 2009, Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton edition of The Union News

Region’s unemployment rate increases to 9.5 percent

BY PAUL LEESON
THEUNIONNEWSABE@AOL.COM

LEHIGH VALLEY, October 26th- According to labor data provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry Center for Workforce Information and Analysis in Harrisburg, the Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased by two-tenths of a percentage point to 9.5 percent. The MSA includes Lehigh, Northampton, and Carbon Counties of Pennsylvania and Warren County, New Jersey. Twelve months ago the unemployment rate for the region was 5.9 percent.

There are fourteen Metropolitan Statistical Area’s in Pennsylvania and the Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton Metropolitan Statistical Area is tied with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre MSA, and the Johnstown MSA with the fourth highest unemployment rate in the Commonwealth. Since December 2007, the unemployment rate for the MSA has increased in eighteen of the past twenty-two months.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Pennsylvania is 8.8 percent, increasing by one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous report, which was released approximately four weeks ago. There are 559,000 Pennsylvania residents without jobs. Pennsylvania has a seasonally adjusted workforce of 6,368,000 and 5,809,000 of them have employment. The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was reported to be 9.8 percent, increasing by one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous report. There are 15,142,000 residents nationally unemployed which does not include workers who benefits have expired.

The data shows the Williamsport MSA has the highest unemployment rate in the state at 10.0 percent. The Erie MSA has the second highest unemployment rate in the state at 9.9 percent, with the Reading MSA third at 9.6 percent.

The State College MSA has the lowest unemployment rate in Pennsylvania at 6.1 percent, with the Lebanon MSA second at 7.4 percent. The Lancaster MSA has the third lowest unemployment rate in Pennsylvania at 7.8 percent.

The Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton MSA has the third largest civilian labor force in Pennsylvania at 419,500, rising by 1,300 from the previous report and dropping by 700 during the past twelve months. There are 40,000 residents in the MSA without jobs, rising by 1,000 from the previous report and increasing by 15,300 during the past twelve months. The civilian labor force in the MSA has decreased by 14,300 since November 2007.

The Philadelphia MSA has the largest civilian labor force in Pennsylvania at 2,963,000 with 264,900 residents not working. The Pittsburgh MSA has the second largest civilian labor force at 1,110,900, with 97,700 residents unemployed. The Harrisburg/Carlisle MSA has the fourth largest civilian labor force in the state at 284,200, with 21,500 residents unemployed. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre MSA has the fifth largest civilian labor force at 281,200 with 22,100 residents not working.

The Williamsport MSA has the smallest civilian labor force in Pennsylvania at 59,300. The Altoona MSA is the second smallest at 63,700 with the Johnstown MSA the third smallest at 68,100.

Carbon County has the highest unemployment rate in the MSA at 10.6 percent, increasing by two and nine-tenths percentage points from twelve months ago. Carbon County has 3,300 civilians not working, increasing by 100 from the previous report and increasing by 1,200 from twelve months ago.

Northampton County has the lowest unemployment rate in the MSA at 9.2 percent, rising by three and three-tenths percentage points during the past twelve months. Northampton County has 14,100 residents not working, rising by 600 from the previous report and increasing by 5,100 during the past twelve months.

Lehigh County has a unemployment rate of 9.8 percent, rising by three and nine-tenths of a percentage points from twelve months ago. Lehigh County has 17,300 residents not working rising by 700 from the previous report and increasing by a whopping 6,900 from twelve months ago.