by justin strawser
The final 2011 unemployment rate for Northumberland County was a full percentage point lower than it was a year ago in December 2010, according to the latest figures from the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI).
DLI reported this week that the December unemployment rate was 8.5 percent compared to December 2010's rate of 9.5 percent.
"It's looking like a general improvement," Steven Zellers, DLI industry and business analyst, said Wednesday. "It looks like you're trending down, which a lot of the counties and the state are doing. We're not out of the woods yet, but things are improving."
December 2011's rate, however, is .2 percent higher than it was at the beginning of the year (8.3 percent), but .3 percent lower than November 2011's 8.8 percent. The highest 2011 unemployment rate was in August when the numbers reached 9.2 percent, and was at its lowest when it was 8 percent in March.
Historically, Zellers said, December is a good month because of holiday jobs, but January numbers tend to be worse, and usually drops as the year progresses.
The 2011 average in the county, however, was 8.5 percent, much lower than the 2009 and 2010 average of 9.9 percent.
The latest figures are also lower than December 2009's rate of 10.4 percent December 2008's rate of 8.8 percent. The county unemployment rate crested during the recession at 10.6 percent in October 2009.
From November to December 2011, Zellers said the county labor force grew by 300 people, there were 400 more people who found employment and unemployment went down by 100 people.
Comparatively, from December 2010 to December 2011, the labor force grew by 300 people, there were 700 more people who found employment and unemployment dropped by 400 people.
Previously, Zellers had reported that seemingly positive movements in the statistics don't always mean people are finding jobs, since a person must be actively looking for a job to be counted in the report.
However, he said, "It looks like most people entering the work force have been finding jobs."
DLI does not issue any predictions or economic forecasts, but Zellers said the numbers are a good thing.
"If you have a string of good months and the state in general is improving, one would hope and expect the numbers to continue," he said.
Jobless rates in neighboring counties, are Montour, 5.4 percent; Juniata, 6.9 percent; Lycoming, 7.3 percent; Perry, 7.3 percent; Union, 7.3 percent; Dauphin, 7.5 percent; Columbia, 7.6 percent; Snyder, 7.6 percent; and Schuylkill, 9.2 percent.
Of those counties, only Snyder had no change from November to December. The others saw a decrease in unemployment as well, the largest being Columbia County from 8.3 to 7.6 percent.
Centre County, at 5.1 percent, holds the lowest jobless rate in Pennsylvania. Cameron County, at 11.5 percent, has the highest. Eight counties in the state, including Schuylkill, are at or above 9 percent unemployment.
Northumberland County's unemployment rate remains above the state level at 7.6 percent, but matched the national level at 8.5 percent. Neither of these rates are seasonably adjusted.
Northumberland County unemployment rates:
Dec. '08: 8.8
2009
Jan.: 8.9
Feb.: 9.5
March: 9.7
April: 9.5
May: 9.9
June: 10.1
July: 10
Aug.: 10.1
Sept.: 10.4
Oct.: 10.6
Nov.: 10
Dec.: 10.4
2010
Jan.: 10.2
Feb.: 10.2
March: 9.9
April: 9.6
May: 10.1
June: 10.1
July: 10.2
Aug.: 10.1
Sept.: 9.7
Oct.: 9.9
Nov.: 9.8
Dec.: 9.5
2011
Jan.: 8.3
Feb.: 8.4
March: 8
April: 8.2
May: 8.5
June: 8.8
July: 8.8
Aug.: 9.2
Sept.: 9
Oct.: 8.6
Nov. 8.8
Dec. 8.5