HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) has released its preliminary employment situation report for September 2024.
Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate was unchanged over the month at 3.4 percent in September. This was the 12th consecutive month with an identical rate – the longest streak on record (back to 1976).
The rate remained well under the U.S. unemployment rate, which fell by one-tenth of a percentage point from its August level to 4.1 percent.
The Commonwealth’s unemployment rate was one-tenth of a percentage point above its September 2023 level of 3.3 percent, while the national rate was up three-tenths of a percentage point over the year.
Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – was down 24,000 over the month to 6,556,000 in September. Resident employment (-23,000) accounted for most of the labor force decline.
Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 6,800 over the month to a record high of 6,205,000, setting the 14th consecutive record high for Pennsylvania’s jobs count. Jobs increased from August in five of the 11 industry supersectors.
The largest supersector movement was a gain of 6,100 in leisure & hospitality, which reached a record high. Education & health services reached a record high for the 16th consecutive month.
Over the year, total nonfarm jobs were up 102,700 with gains in six of the 11 supersectors. Education & health services (+59,800) had the largest volume over-the-year gain.
Additional information is available on the L&I website at www.dli.pa.gov or by following us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Note: The above data are seasonally adjusted. Seasonally adjusted data provide the most valid month-to-month comparison. September 2024 data are preliminary and subject to revision.