Job numbers from the NYS Department of Labor showed a 500-job increase in Greene County during the month of December 2014 as compared with December 2013. This translates into 3.4% growth for the county, by far the highest growth percentage for a county in New York State in December, and up from the 3.1% growth reported back in November 2014.
The statewide unemployment rate declined from 5.9% to 5.8% in December 2014, reaching its lowest level since September 2008. Meanwhile, private sector employment in the 52-county Upstate New York region increased by 21,000, or 0.8%, to 2,525,000 for the 12-month period ending December 2014. Upstate’s total nonfarm job count (private plus public sectors) increased by 15,700, or 0.5%, to 3,147,200 between December 2013 and December 2014.
Over the 12 month period ending December 2014, the industry sectors that added the most jobs in the Upstate region included:
- Natural resources, mining and construction (+5,800)
- Professional and business services (+5,400)
- Leisure and hospitality (+5,000)
- Educational and health services (+4,700)
Upstate industry sectors that lost the most jobs over the past year included:
- Government (-5,300)
- Manufacturing (-1,800)
- Information (-600)
At 3.0%, Greene County tied Columbia County as the upstate county outside of metro areas with the most rapid private sector job growth between December 2013 and December 2014.
Click here to view NYS Dept. of Labor Press Release
Click here to view Upstate New York Labor Report
