26 Oct Tri-City’s September Unemployment Rate Drops to Historic Lows

Tri-City’s September non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 4.6 percent-the lowest unemployment rate seen in the past 27 years.

September’s decrease in unemployment rate over the year was due to increase in the number of working population and decrease in the number of unemployed. Total resident labor force increased by 2.9 percent or 3,904 people to total of 139,415. Total resident labor force employment grew by 4.3 percent of 5,511 to total of 133,034 in September.

On a not seasonally adjusted basis, estimates for September 2016 through September 2017 show an increase in nonfarm employment of 500 for the Tri-City metropolitan area. Private sector industries added about 100 jobs while the public sector gained an estimated 700 jobs over the year.