Pennsylvania’s Unemployment Rate Remains at 3.4% in July

A hiring sign shows in Wheeling, Ill., Sunday, March 21, 2021. The number of Americans applying for unemployment aid fell last week to 547,000, a new low since the pandemic struck and a further encouraging sign that layoffs are slowing on the strength of an improving job market. The Labor Department said Thursday, April 22, that applications declined 39,000 from a revised 586,000 a week earlier. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Total nonfarm jobs sets 12th consecutive record high adding 12,200 jobs over the month

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) today released its preliminary employment situation report for July 2024.

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate remained unchanged over the month at 3.4% in July. This was the tenth consecutive month at 3.4% and remains well under the U.S. unemployment rate which rose by two-tenths of a percentage point from its June rate to 4.3%.

The Commonwealth’s unemployment rate was two-tenths of a percentage point above its record low July 2023 level of 3.2%, while the national rate was up eight-tenths of a percentage point over the year.

Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – was down 1,000 over the month to 6,602,000 in July. The decline was due to a drop in resident employment which also was down 1,000 from June.

Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 12,200 over the month to a record high of 6,191,000, setting the 12th consecutive record high for Pennsylvania’s jobs count. Jobs increased from June in six of the 11 industry supersectors. The largest supersector movement was a gain of 7,700 jobs in government. Education & health services reached a record high for the 14th consecutive month.

Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 105,000 with gains in eight of the 11 supersectors. Education & health services (+57,100) had the largest volume over-the-year gain among supersectors.

Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. July 2024 data are preliminary and subject to revision.

Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or by following us on FacebookTwitter, and LinkedIn.

 

Current Labor Force Statistics
Seasonally Adjusted
(in thousands)
     Change from     Change from
      July     June       July     June 2024    July 2023
      2024    2024      2023 volume percent volume percent
PA
Civilian Labor Force 6,602 6,603 6,509 -1 0.0% 93 1.4%
Employment 6,378 6,379 6,300 -1 0.0% 78 1.2%
Unemployment 224 223 209 1 0.4% 15 7.2%
Rate 3.4 3.4 3.2 0.0 —- 0.2 —-
U.S.
Civilian Labor Force 168,429 168,009 167,113 420 0.2% 1,316 0.8%
Employment 161,266 161,199 161,209 67 0.0% 57 0.0%
Unemployment 7,163 6,811 5,904 352 5.2% 1,259 21.3%
Rate 4.3 4.1 3.5 0.2 —- 0.8 —-
Note: August 2024 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released on September 20th, 2024.

 

Pennsylvania Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment
Seasonally Adjusted
(in thousands)
         Change from         Change from
             July            June         July          June 2024  

July 2023

             2024             2024         2023 volume percent volume percent
Total Nonfarm Jobs 6,191.0 6,178.8 6,086.0 12.2 0.2% 105.0 1.7%
Goods Producing Industries 849.6 848.3 848.0 1.3 0.2% 1.6 0.2%
  Mining & Logging 22.9 23.0 22.7 -0.1 -0.4% 0.2 0.9%
  Construction 259.1 258.3 260.0 0.8 0.3% -0.9 -0.3%
  Manufacturing 567.6 567.0 565.3 0.6 0.1% 2.3 0.4%
Service Providing Industries 5,341.4 5,330.5 5,238.0 10.9 0.2% 103.4 2.0%
  Trade, Transportation & Utilities 1,147.1 1,141.1 1,143.2 6.0 0.5% 3.9 0.3%
  Information 92.4 91.2 92.5 1.2 1.3% -0.1 -0.1%
  Financial Activities 343.3 344.0 339.3 -0.7 -0.2% 4.0 1.2%
  Professional & Business Services 836.0 838.9 840.4 -2.9 -0.3% -4.4 -0.5%
  Education & Health Services 1,373.1 1,370.5 1,316.0 2.6 0.2% 57.1 4.3%
  Leisure & Hospitality 587.9 590.3 561.6 -2.4 -0.4% 26.3 4.7%
  Other Services 262.6 263.2 257.4 -0.6 -0.2% 5.2 2.0%
  Government 699.0 691.3 687.6 7.7 1.1% 11.4 1.7%
For a more detailed breakdown of seasonally adjusted jobs data at the sector level, please contact the Center for Workforce Information & Analysis at 1-877-4WF-DATA, or visit www.paworkstats.pa.gov
Note: August 2024 labor force and nonfarm jobs statistics will be released on September 20th, 2024.