The January unemployment numbers for the area show a significant decrease, compared to the same time frame in 2021.
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) released its preliminary employment figures for January 2022, showing the state’s unemployment rate down one-tenth of a percentage point to 5.4 percent.
The unemployment rate for Bradford in January was 6.7%, compared to 8.5% in January 2021. However, the rate is up slightly from December 2021, when the rate was 4.7%.
Cameron County reported an unemployment rate of 7.5%, while Potter County had a rate of 7.3%. St. Marys in Elk County had a rate of 6.3% for January 2022, compared to 8.8% in January of the previous year.
St. Marys also reported an increase from December 2021, however, when the rate was 4.6%.
Cameron County’s rate in January 2021 was 10%. The county rate for December 2021 was 5.3%.
Potter County reported a rate of 7.3% in January 2022, which was an increase from December 2021, when the rate was 4.6%. It was a decrease from January 2021, when the rate was 9.2%.
From April 2020 through January 2022, Pennsylvania has recovered approximately 79% of jobs lost due to the pandemic.
State officials say January’s report marks the 21st consecutive month without an unemployment rate increase.
Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 20,000 over the month to 5,857,600 in January. Jobs increased in nine of the 11 industry supersectors. Professional and business services — which increased by 8,400 — made up the largest share of the monthly gain. Trade, transportation and utilities reached a record high in January 2022 at 1,134,900 jobs.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 216,300 with gains in all 11 supersectors. Leisure and hospitality had the largest 12-month gain, adding back 84,800 jobs. Three supersectors — trade, transportation and utilities; professional and business services; and information — were above their pre-pandemic February 2020 job levels as of January 2022.
Locally, Bradford saw an increase of 100 in Goods-producing jobs, and local government. There was an increase of 300 jobs in total non-farm in the area and two hundred in total private jobs, with an increase of 200 in service-providing jobs (leisure and hospitality).
Potter County reported an increase of 100 in total non-farm jobs and also in total private jobs, with an increase of 100 in service-providing jobs also.
In St. Marys, an increase of 300 was reported in both total non-farm jobs and total private jobs, with increases of 100 reported in goods-producing (manufacturing), an increase of 200 in service-providing (leisure and hospitality).
