By Erin Mansfield, VTDigger
Vermont’s economy added 1,700 jobs in July, causing the unemployment rate to fall from 3.2 percent to 3.1 percent.
Just as it has been for several years, the state unemployment rate continues to be far lower than the national rate, which was 4.3 percent in July.
Vermont tied with Indiana and South Dakota for one of the lowest unemployment rates, behind North Dakota (2.2 percent), Colorado (2.4 percent), Hawaii (2.7 percent), New Hampshire and Nebraska (both at 2.8 percent), and Idaho (3 percent).
“Job gains in professional and business services, education and health care, and leisure and hospitality drive the current employment outlook in Vermont,” state labor commissioner Lindsay Kurrle said.
“Despite some over-the-year losses in construction and manufacturing employment, we see steady job growth and low unemployment continuing throughout 2017 as the private sector continues to propel economic growth,” Kurrle said.
The highest regional unemployment rate — which is not seasonally adjusted — continues to be in Derby (4.8 percent). The lowest continues to be in the Burlington area (3 percent).
