by justin strawser
The Northumberland County unemployment rate increased slightly from March to April, according to information released by the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) last week.
The figures show that the county had a rate of 8.2 percent in April, up .2 percent from March's rate of 8 percent.
The 8.2 percent is lower than April 2009's rate of 9.5 percent and April 2011's rate of 9.6 percent.
The rate had crested at 10.6 percent in October 2009.
The county rate remains between the seasonably adjusted national and state levels of 9 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively.
Jobless rates in neighboring counties are Montour, 5.9 percent; Juniata, 6.3 percent; Dauphin, 7.1 percent; Columbia, 7.1 percent; Union, 7.4 percent; Lycoming, 7.5 percent; Perry, 7.5 percent; Snyder, 7.7 percent; and Schuylkill, 8.8 percent.
Of the nine counties, only Columbia, Dauphin and Juniata counties saw a decrease. Columbia was the largest of the group with .6 percent change.
Bradford County, at 5.1 percent, has the lowest jobless rate in Pennsylvania. Cameron County, at 11.2 percent, has the highest.
Two counties, down from January's 12, are above a rate of 10 percent.