Pa. unemployment remains below national average; non-farm jobs reach record high – LVB

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate remains at 3.4% in September, while the total number of non-farm jobs reached a record high for the 14th straight month. 

The Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) reported Friday that Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate remains well below the national average, which fell by one-tenth of a percentage point from its August level to 4.1%. Total non-farm jobs in Pennsylvania increased 6,800 in September to a record high of 6,205,000, the 14th consecutive record high for the commonwealth’s jobs count. 

September marked the 12th consecutive month that Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate remained at an identical rate – the longest streak on record dating to 1976. The unemployment rate for the state was one-tenth of a percentage point above its September 2023 level of 3.3%, while the national rate was up three-tenths of a percentage point over the year. 

Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force decreased 24,000 in September to 6,556,000. Resident employment was down 23,000, accounting for much of the labor force decline. 

Jobs increased from August in five of the 11 industry supersectors. The largest supersector movement was a gain of 6,100 in leisure and hospitality which reached a record high. Education and health services set a record high for the 16th straight month. 

Total non-farm jobs were up 102,700 over the year with gains in six of the 11 supersectors. Education and health services had the largest volume over-the-year gain with 59,800.