County jobless rate edges downward; still higher than a year ago

County jobless rate edges downward; still higher than a year ago

By Ken Childers

ONL Editor

After two consecutive months of being in the double-digits, the unemployment rate for Okfuskee County returned to a semblance of normalcy in June.

According to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, the county posted a rate of 6.1 percent in June, a 16 percent increase over June 2019 when the rate was 5.1 percent.

The June figures are in stark contrast to April and May, when the county saw increases of 72 percent and 59 percent, respectively.

The OESC report shows the county had an available workforce of 4,309 in June, but only 4,045 of those available were counted as employed.

Unemployment rates were higher than a year ago for most Oklahoma counties in June. In Creek County, the rate climbed from 3.9 percent in June 2019 to 7.0 percent. Hughes County’s rate jumped from 5.8 percent to 7.1 percent while Lincoln County saw its rate increase from 3.8 to 5.5 percent. In Pottawatomie County, the rate rose from 3.9 percent to 6.4 percent and in Seminole County the rate increased from 5.2 percent to 6.7 percent.

In June, Latimer County posted Oklahoma’s highest county unemployment rate of 9.6 percent. Johnston County had the second-highest rate for the month, followed by Greer County. Beaver County had the lowest county unemployment rate of 2.8 percent in June. Unemployment rates in June were higher than a year earlier in 76 counties and lower in one county.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics Report – June 2020

Unemployment rates were higher in June than a year earlier in 388 of the 389 metropolitan areas and lower in one area, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week. A total of 218 areas had jobless rates of less than 10.0 percent and six areas had rates of at least 20.0 percent.

Nonfarm payroll employment decreased over the year in 307 metropolitan areas and was essentially unchanged in 82 areas. The national unemployment rate in June was 11.2 percent, not seasonally adjusted, up from 3.8 percent a year earlier.

Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ, had the highest unemployment rate in June, 34.3 percent. Logan, Utah-Idaho and Idaho Falls, Idaho, had the lowest unemployment rates, 3.5 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively.

A total of 267 areas had June jobless rates below the U.S. rate of 11.2 percent, 116 areas had rates above it, and six areas had rates equal to that of the nation.