Orleans chops unemployment rate from a year ago

June rate of 8.4 percent was down from 10.4 percent in 2012

ALBION – Orleans County’s unemployment rate fell to 8.4 percent in June, down from 10.4 percent in June 2012. The state Department of Labor reported the county had 200 more people in the workforce in June, compared to the same month a year ago.

The county’s workforce grew by 300 people from May, when the unemployment rate was also 8.4 percent. That is higher than the state average of 7.5 percent.

New York’s economy is improving, based on the report that showed the state’s private sector job count increased by 110,500 from June 2012 to June 2013.

Other nearby rural counties also added jobs and cut their unemployment rates. Genesee is down to 6.2 percent unemployed, compared to 7.4 percent the previous year.

Wyoming County had an 8.2 percent unemployment rate in June 2012, and that fell to 7.2 percent last month. Livingston’s unemployment rate was 8.2 percent in June 2012, and dropped to 7.2 percent a month ago.

The Buffalo-Niagara region rate fell from 8.5 percent to 7.4 percent during the year, while the Rochester region rate was 7.0 percent, compared to 8.4 percent in June 2012.

The counties with the lowest rates include Saratoga and Tompkins at 5.7 percent, while Bronx County in NYC has the highest at 11.8 percent. In upstate, St. Lawrence County has the highest rate of unemployed at 9.6 percent.

To see the report from the state DOL, click here.