Crawford County’s jobless rate was unaffected in August – holding at 7.8% while the rates in four adjoining counties of northwest Pennsylvania all climbed up in August, as per figures released this week by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
The county’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 7.8% for August is below the 8.1% seasonally adjusted unemployment rate recorded in August 2011.
In between July and August, Crawford County saw the number of jobs in the service sector rise by 200 from 23,100 to 23,300. Gains of 100 were reported in both business and professional services sector from 2,100 to 2,200; and the local government sector from 2,600 to 2,700.
On the other hand, the number of manufacturing jobs in the country fell by 100 to 6,900 from the 7,000 mark in July. It’s the first time the number had changed since March.
Crawford County has a higher reliance on manufacturing than other areas of the country. About 17 percent of all jobs in the country are associated with manufacturing, while only about 11 percent are national and 12 percent statewide.
Most of the local manufacturing jobs are with local firms supplying tools, tooling and machinery industry, equipment and other parts to prominent manufacturers.
Crawford County’s overall seasonally adjusted labor force for August minimized by 300 to 43,600, with 40,200 employed and 3,400 jobless, as per the state. According to the most recent statistics, in July, the total seasonally adjusted labor force was 43,900 with 40,500 employed and 3,400 unemployed.
According to the state, Crawford County’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate of 7.8% was lower than 8.1% rate for both Pennsylvania and the nation in August.
Crawford County also saw a development in February, falling from 7.4 percent to 7.0 percent, as per the monthly jobs report from the state Department of Labor & Industry.
The good news wasn’t isolated to northwestern Pennsylvania.
According to Christopher Magaro, a state labor analyst, the jobless rate fell in 56 Pennsylvania counties, held steady in five counties and rose in six counties.
Unemployment numbers in the four countries in Northwest Pennsylvania went higher in August.
The rates for the other counties, listed August, then July, were: Mercer, 8.9, 8.4; Erie, 7.6, 7.4; Warren, 7.4, 7.0; and Venango, 8.1, 7.7.
Some of the surrounding counties unemployment rates were:
- Lawrence County, 8.3 percent
- Butler County, 6.7 percent
About Crawford County: Crawford County is a county situated in the U.S state of Pennsylvania. It was created on March 12, 1800, from part of Allegheny County and named for Colonel William Crawford. Its county seat is Meadville.