NEW YORK, NY — The New York State Department of Labor today released preliminary local area unemployment rates for May 2018. Rates are calculated using methods 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 May 2017 to May 2018, the State’s private sector job count increased by 109,600. In May 2018, the number of private sector jobs in the State was 8,166,300. 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. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, the State’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased from 4.6% in April to 4.5% in May 2018.
Local Area Unemployment Rates* (%)
May 2017 and May 2018
(not seasonally adjusted)
| May 2018* | May 2017* | |
| Metro Areas | 3.6 | 4.4 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | 3.6 | 4.1 |
| Binghamton | 4.4 | 5.1 |
| Buffalo-Niagara Falls | 4.3 | 5 |
| Dutchess-Putnam | 3.6 | 4.1 |
| Elmira | 4.7 | 5.4 |
| Glens Falls | 4 | 4.4 |
| Ithaca | 3.3 | 4 |
| Kingston | 3.7 | 4.3 |
| Nassau-Suffolk | 3.5 | 4.1 |
| New York City | 3.4 | 4.3 |
| Orange-Rockland-Westchester | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| Rochester | 4 | 4.7 |
| Syracuse | 4.1 | 4.8 |
| Utica-Rome | 4.3 | 4.9 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum | 5 | 6 |
| Non-metro Counties | 4.5 | 5.1 |
| *Data are preliminary and subject to change |
The data in the preceding table are not seasonally adjusted, which means they 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, May 2017 versus May 2018.
Unemployment Rate Highlights in May 2018 (not seasonally adjusted):
The counties in New York State with the lowest unemployment rates in May 2018 include:
- Queens County (3.0%)
- New York County (3.1%)
- Columbia County (3.2%)
- Saratoga County (3.3%)
- Tompkins County (3.3%)
- Nassau County (3.4%)
- Richmond County (3.4%)
- Yates County (3.4%)
- Albany County (3.5%)
- Kings County (3.5%)
- Putnam County (3.5%)
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: 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)