Pittsburgh area’s jobless rate unchanged at 3.4% in August

By Kris B. Mamula / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Pittsburgh area’s jobless rate of 3.4% in August was unchanged from the previous month, while the local area’s rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point over the past 12 months and Pennsylvania’s rate was up one-tenth of a percentage point from August 2023, the state Department of Labor & Industry reported Tuesday.

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate in August was unchanged for the 11th consecutive month at 3.4% — well under the U.S. unemployment rate, which fell one-tenth of a percentage point from its July rate to 4.2%. But the state jobless rate was one-tenth of a percentage point above its August 2023 level of 3.3% while the national rate rose four-tenths of a percentage point over the year.

The total number of seasonally adjusted nonfarm jobs in the seven-county Pittsburgh metropolitan area increased by 2,800 or just .24% over the month, to 1.18 million in August. Jobs in the local area were up 1.9% or 21,900 over the year, while statewide jobs rose 1.7% since last August.

Allegheny and Butler counties led the region for the lowest jobless rates at 3.5%, followed by Washington, 3.6%; Westmoreland, 3.7%; Beaver, 3.9%; Armstrong, 4.1%; and Fayette, 4.6%, according to the new state numbers. September’s jobless rates are scheduled for release Oct. 29.