Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate remained unchanged over the month at 3.4% in May, the Department of Labor and Industry announced last Friday. This was the eighth consecutive month at 3.4%. The U.S. unemployment rate rose by one-tenth of a percentage point from its April rate to 4.0%. The state’s unemployment rate was one-tenth of a percentage point above its May 2023 level of 3.3%, while the national rate was up three-tenths of a percentage point over the year. Pennsylvania’s civilian labor force – the estimated number of residents working or looking for work – was up 9,000 over the month and hit a record high of 6.6 million. Pennsylvania’s total nonfarm jobs were up 19,800 over the month to a record high of 6,167,700, setting the tenth consecutive record high for Pennsylvania’s jobs count.
