Among the commonwealth’s 14 MSAs, the Pittsburgh MSA had the sixth lowest unemployment rate in July. Within the Pittsburgh MSA, Butler County (6.9%) had the lowest rate and Fayette County (9.4%) had the highest rate. Among Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, unemployment rates ranged from 6.1 percent in Centre County to 11.0 percent in Cameron County.
Seasonally
adjusted total
nonfarm jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA rose 2,900 in July to 1,143,100. July marked the sixth
monthly increase in seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in the 2011 calendar
year. Statewide jobs also trended positively, adding 8,700 in July to
5,693,200. Jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA were up 14,600 (1.3%) from July 2010,
while Pennsylvania’s jobs rose 70,500 (1.3%) from the previous year’s level.
Goods-producing
jobs in the Pittsburgh MSA fell by 100 in July to 152,900. July’s
goods-producing decline followed four consecutive months of increases of at
least 3,000. Construction continued to show growth (+600), and has now shown
positive movements for five consecutive months. Manufacturing accounted for the
only goods-producing decline, ending a four-month positive trend. Over the
year, goods producers have added 3,800 jobs, with manufacturing (+1,500),
mining & logging (+1,200), and construction (+1,100) all showing increases
beyond previous year’s levels.
Service-providing
jobs fell 10,900 in July, returning below the one million job mark. Government
provided the steepest decline in July, carried by a seasonal job loss in public
schools. The local government decline of 11,900 was slightly larger than the
previous five-year average decline of 10,300. Trade, transportation, and
utilities experienced the second largest over-the-month job decline, down
1,800. This decline was associated with school bus transportation, and was
relatively minor compared to the previous five-year average decline. Professional
& business services provided the largest July increase, adding 1,700 jobs
and matching the supersector record level of 163,200 set in July of 2008.
Leisure & hospitality added 600 jobs in July, establishing a new all-time
high level of 116,200.
Over
the year, five out of the eight service providing supersectors have shown
growth. Trade, transportation, & utilities (+4,800), professional &
business services (+3,300), and education & health services (+3,000) have
provided the greatest over-the-year increases. Conversely, government (-2,700),
information (-300), and other services (-100) have experienced declines from
the previous year’s levels.