NEW YORK, NY — The New York State Department of Labor today released preliminary local area unemployment rates for April 2016. Rates are calculated as prescribed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The State’s area unemployment rates rely in part on the results of the Current Population Survey, which contacts approximately 3,100 households in New York State each month.
From April 2015 to April 2016, the State’s private sector job count increased by 114,400. In April 2016, the number of private sector jobs in the State was 7,905,500, a new record high. The State’s private sector job count is based on a payroll survey of 18,000 New York employers, which is conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In addition, the State’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate ticked up from 4.8% to 4.9% in April 2016.
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Local Area Unemployment Rates* (%) |
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April 2015 and April 2016 |
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(not seasonally adjusted) |
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*Data are preliminary and subject to change |
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April |
April |
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2016* |
2015 |
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Metro Areas |
4.5 |
5.3 |
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Albany-Schenectady-Troy |
4 |
4.4 |
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Binghamton |
5.3 |
6 |
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Buffalo-Niagara Falls |
5 |
5.6 |
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Dutchess-Putnam |
3.9 |
4.4 |
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Elmira |
5.6 |
5.9 |
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Glens Falls |
5.2 |
5.7 |
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Ithaca |
3.6 |
3.8 |
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Kingston |
4.3 |
4.9 |
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Nassau-Suffolk |
3.9 |
4.4 |
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New York City |
4.8 |
5.8 |
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Orange-Rockland-Westchester |
4 |
4.5 |
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Rochester |
4.7 |
5.3 |
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Syracuse |
4.7 |
5.5 |
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Utica-Rome |
5.1 |
5.9 |
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Watertown-Fort Drum |
6.5 |
7.3 |
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Non-metro Counties |
5.5 |
6.1 |
The data in the preceding table are not seasonally adjusted, which means they do not reflect seasonal influences (e.g., holiday and summer hires). Therefore, the most valid comparisons with this type of data are year-to-year comparisons of the same month, for example, April 2015 versus April 2016.
Unemployment Rate Highlights in April 2016 (not seasonally adjusted):
The counties in New York State with the lowest unemployment rates in April 2016 include:
Tompkins County (3.6%)
Columbia County (3.7%)
Nassau County (3.7%)
Putnam County (3.7%)
Saratoga County (3.7%)
Rockland County (3.9%)
Albany County (4.0%)
Dutchess County (4.0%)
Westchester County (4.0%)
Orange County (4.1%)
Suffolk County (4.1%)
See County Unemployment Rates (opens in new window) for current unemployment rates for all 62 counties in New York State.
Labor force data for the current month are preliminary and subject to revision as more information becomes available the following month. Revised estimates for prior months are available at: http://labor.ny.gov/stats/LSLAUS.shtm
Labor force statistics, including the unemployment rate, for New York and every other state are based on statistical regression models specified by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. These are the most up-to-date estimates of persons employed and unemployed by place of residence. Estimates are available for New York State, labor market regions, metropolitan areas, counties and municipalities with population of at least 25,000.
See State and Area Unemployment Rates (opens in new window)
See Unemployment Rate Map (opens in new window)
See Jobs and Unemployment Fact Sheet (opens in new window)