United States Employment Snapshot
In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 17, and remained unchanged in 21.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in North Dakota and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4 percent.
In May, payroll jobs rose in 42 states and fell in 9. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.9 percent in Idaho. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Minnesota.
Pennsylvania Employment Snapshot
In May, Pennsylvania added 19,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.4 percent. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 1,000 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Pennsylvania added 97,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 3.3 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. Pennsylvania is tied for 22nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In May, Pennsylvania’s private sector added 19,000 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 78,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 300 net private payroll jobs.
In May, employment in Pennsylvania rose by 9,159, and over the past 12 months it rose by 90,298.
Pennsylvania’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 62.9 percent in May and is tied for 26th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.8 percentage points.
Pennsylvania Payroll Employment
Pennsylvania added 19,800 net payroll jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 1,000 jobs. Pennsylvania nonfarm payroll employment has increased in each of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 272,000 in May, or 0.2 percent. Pennsylvania is tied for 22nd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Pennsylvania added 19,000 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Pennsylvania added 300 jobs. Pennsylvania private sector payroll employment has increased in 10 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 229,000 jobs in May, or 0.2 percent. Pennsylvania is tied for 21st in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during May were Leisure and Hospitality (8,700) and Education and Health Services (7,400).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Information (-200) and Construction (-400).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (61,000) and Leisure and Hospitality (22,900).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Construction (-3,000) and Professional and Business Services (-8,800).
Pennsylvania Labor Force
The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.
The labor force participation rate in Pennsylvania remained unchanged at 62.9 percent in May.
Pennsylvania is tied for 26th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Pennsylvania was 63.3 percent occurring in November 2019, and the 10-year low was 60.8 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.5 percent in May.