All four local counties have seen an improvement in their unemployment rates, according to the state Department of Labor and Industry.

In McKean County, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March was 7.3%, down from 7.6% in February. It was an improvement from the rate of 8% in March of last year, at the beginning of the pandemic.

At the same time, Pennsylvania’s rate was 7.3%, and the rate for the nation was 6.0%.

In Elk County, the rate for March was 7.5%, down from 8% one month earlier. One year ago, the county’s rate was 7.8%.

In Potter County, the rate for March was 7.2%, down from 7.5% in February. The county showed improvement over the unemployment rate one year ago, which was 9%.

Cameron County’s unemployment rate for March was 8.1%, a slight decrease from the prior month’s rate of 8.4%. One year earlier, at the beginning of the pandemic, the rate for the county was 9%.

In the state, Potter County was ranked 35th, tied with Delaware, Dauphin, Clinton and Clearfield counties. McKean County was ranked 40th, tied with Indiana County. Elk County was ranked 45th, tied with Berks, Huntingdon and Lycoming counties. Cameron was ranked 57th, tied with Beaver, Greene and Mercer counties.

By workforce development area, the North Central area had an overall unemployment rate of 8%. Included in the region are the four local counties, along with Clearfield and Jefferson. Last year at the same time, the region’s unemployment rate was 7.9%.

As for unemployment claims, for the week ending April 17, McKean County had 83 initial claims; 669 continued claims; 5 with unemployment compensation exhausted; 2 with extended benefits exhausted; and none with pandemic emergency unemployment compensation exhausted.

For Elk County, there were 100 initial claims; 613 continued claims; 8 with unemployment exhausted; 2 with extended benefits exhausted; and none with PEUC benefits exhausted.