Clinton County’s Unemployed Number Edges Up

HARRISBURG, PA – Clinton County’s unemployment rate for July increased slightly, according to information released Tuesday by the state Department of Labor & Industry. This is the fourth month in a row that the county has been in double digits for the unemployment rate, something that has not occurred since 1994.

The July rate was 12.0 percent, up from the June reading of 11.0 percent. July’s numbers showed a labor force of 17,800, with 15,700 residents employed, and 2,100 unemployed. June showed an estimated 1,900 people unemployed.

Montour had the lowest July unemployment reading of the state’s 67 counties with an 8.4 percent rate. Centre County was second with 8.8 percent. Clinton County’s number put it at nineteenth in the state. Lycoming’s 13.3 percent checked in at number 30, and Fulton was number 67 with 19.2 percent unemployment. The four months in a row for double digits for Clinton has not happened since a six month run of double digits from June to November 1994.

“Although the overall numbers have improved since the pandemic began, we still show 2,100 people unemployed,” said Clinton County Economic Partnership President Mike Flanagan. “In February, we had about 900 people unemployed, so about 1,200 have not yet gone back to work or lost a job since March. The positive sign is that the continuing and new unemployment claims were going down slightly during the month of August. But there’s no reason to sugar coat it, we all know the virus and subsequent actions have hit us hard in many sectors, including the small business, restaurant and hotel sector.”