Orleans unemployment sees steady decline for much of 2024

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 November 2024 at 9:27 am

The unemployment rate in Orleans has seen a steady drop for much of 2024.

The county’s unemployment rate for October was 3.3 percent, below the state average of 4.1 percent, according to data from the State Department of Labor.

The unemployment rate in Orleans was 5.3 percent in January and has generally dipped most of the months since then.

Here are the unemployment rates in the county each month of 2024:

January, 5.3 percent
February, 5.2 percent
March, 4.9 percent
April, 4.0 percent
May, 3.7 percent
June, 3.8 percent
July, 4.4 percent
August, 4.4 percent
September, 3.2 percent
October, 3.3 percent

The DOL reports the county had a labor for of 17,300 in October, with 600 unemployed, 16,700 employed.

In October 2023, the unemployment rate in Orleans County was 3.7 percent – labor force of 17,200 with 600 unemployed and 16,600 employed.

In October 2022, the unemployment rate in Orleans County was 2.9 percent – labor force 16,900 with 500 unemployed and 16,400 employed.

In October 2021, the unemployment rate in Orleans County was 5.6 percent – labor force of 16,900 with 600 unemployed and 16,300 employed.

In October 2020, the unemployment rate in Orleans County was October 2020 was 5.2 percent – a labor force of 17,100 with 900 unemployed and 16,200 employed.

Among Western New York counties, the unemployment rates for October 2024 include:

Orleans, 3.3 percent
Genesee, 2.7 percent
Wyoming, 2.9 percent
Livingston, 2.9 percent
Monroe, 3.4 percent
Niagara, 3.6 percent
Erie, 3.6 percent
Chautauqua, 3.5 percent
Cattaraugus, 3.4 percent
Allegany, 3.2 percent