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Greene has area’s highest jobless rate in October

By Tom Wanamaker

ALBANY — New York's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell slightly to 5.5 percent in October, down from 5.6 percent in September, according to figures released Thursday by the state Labor Department. The rate was 4.4 percent in October 2007.

Nationally, the rate was 6.1 percent in October, up from 6.0 percent in September and from 4.4 percent in October 2007.

Excluding New York City, the rest of the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.7 percent in October, down from 5.8 percent in September and up from 4.2 percent in October 2007.

According to the seasonally unadjusted numbers for individual area counties, Greene had the highest October unemployment rate at 5.9 percent, down from 6.2 percent in September but up from 4.2 percent in October 2007.

Columbia County posted an unemployment rate of 4.7 percent for October, up from 5.1 percent in September and down from 3.6 percent in October 2007.

Dutchess County's unemployment rate for October was 5.2 percent, down from 5.6 percent in September and up from 3.7 percent in October 2007.

The state's educational and health services sector led yearly job gains with an increase of 30,200, while government added 11,200 jobs and the leisure and hospitality sector added 5,000 jobs between October 2007 and this October. The manufacturing industry led job declines with 17,400 lost during the same period.

Complete New York State unemployment data for October is available online at: www.labor.state.ny.us/workforceindustrydata/Pressreleases/.

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