PittsburghTODAY: Job growth slows and unemployment rises

Job growth slows and unemployment rises

Dear Friend,

Job growth has slowed in the Pittsburgh region. Pittsburgh's job growth from February 2012 to February 2013 was just 0.18 percent -- the lowest of all 15 benchmark region. The total nonfarm job figure for February 2013 in the Pittsburgh region was 1,139,500. Denver had the highest year-over-year job growth rate at 3.09 percent.

Sectors that are doing well include natural resources, mining and construction (up 2.29 percent), financial activities (up 2.43 percent) and professional and business services (up 2.39 percent). Government jobs in the region declined 2.82 percent year-over-year.

The Pittsburgh region's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in January was 7.5 percent, the highest it has been since December 2010 when it was also 7.5 percent. The rate in January 2013 was 0.2 percentage points higher than the rate in December 2012 and 0.6 percentage points higher than the rate in January 2012. Pittsburgh's rate was the same as the benchmark average.

The number of unemployed in the Pittsburgh MSA increased by 11.25 percent in January 2013 compared to January 2012. The number of employed also increased year-over-year as did the total labor force. The labor force set a record for the ninth month in a row.

Thanks for your interest,

Douglas Heuck

Program Director

PittsburghTODAY