Pittsburgh had record low unemployment rate in August, state says

The number of people applying for unemployment benefits in the seven-county Pittsburgh region hit a new low in August.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the area fell one-tenth of a percentage point over the month to a record low of 3.6%, the lowest level since record-keeping began in 1976, according to the state’s Center for Workforce Information and Analysis. It’s also 0.9 percentage points below what it was the same time last year.

This was the fourth consecutive new record low.

For the entire state, Pennsylvania’s rate was 3.5%, remaining the lowest rate on record since 1976. Both the regional and state figures are lower than the national rate of 3.8%.

Seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in the seven-county region dropped by 200 over the month to 1.17 million in August. But over the year, jobs in the local area rose by 2.2%.

As for what job sectors saw changes during the month, the largest gain was in construction, which was up 1,000. The largest decline was in leisure and hospitality, which shed 3,100 jobs.

Here’s a look at the seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for the seven-county region in August:

• Allegheny County: 3.6%.
• Armstrong County: 4.5%.
• Beaver County: 4.2%.
• Butler County: 3.3%.
• Fayette County: 4.8%.
• Washington County: 3.7%.
• Westmoreland County: 3.8%.