The Vermont Department of Labor announced today that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February 2010 was 6.6 percent, down one tenth of a point from the revised January rate and down one tenth of a point from a year ago.
“Vermont saw modest job growth across a number of sectors in our labor market in February,” said Patricia Moulton Powden, Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Labor. “While this is promising news, we would need to see this pattern continue to determine that employment recovery has begun in the state.”
Seasonal Job Growth
During non-recessionary periods this past decade unadjusted job counts have grown an average of 1,200 jobs from January to February. This year we saw an increase of 2,200 or 0.7%, a better than average performance. The annual rate of unadjusted job growth improved to -1.4%. Much of the seasonal job gains came from the Education & Health sector, (900 or 1.5%) the State Government Education sector, (1,400 or 17.8%) and the Local Government Education sector, (600 or 2.4%). These are mostly education support staff returning from their January breaks. We also saw seasonal job gains in Manufacturing, (200 or 0.7%) Leisure & Hospitality, (400 or 1.1%) and Administrative Support & Waste, (250 or 3.2%). The largest seasonal declines were observed in Retail Trade, (-300 or -0.8%) Construction, (-750 or -7.4%) Other Services, (-300 or -3.1%) and Other State Government, (-250 or -2.8%).
When seasonally adjusted, February payroll jobs grew by 1,000 jobs or 0.3% over January. This growth was led by the Administrative Support & Waste sector, (400 jobs or 4.7%) Local Government, (300 or 1.0%) Leisure & Hospitality, (200 or 0.6%) Manufacturing, (200 or 0.7%) and the Retail sector, (200 or 0.6%). Seasonally adjusted job losses were observed in the Construction sector, (-200 or -1.6%) and State Government, (-200 or -1.1%).
Employment Growth
Vermont’s February seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell one tenth of a point to 6.6% as a result of an increase of 1,500 in the number of employed and a small decline, (-200) in the level of unemployed. For comparison purposes, the US seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February was 9.7 percent, unchanged from January, 2010.
February unemployment rates for Vermont’s 17 labor market areas ranged from 5.1 percent in Hartford to 11.0 percent in Newport. Local labor market area unemployment rates are not seasonally adjusted. For comparison, the February unadjusted unemployment rate for Vermont was 7.1 percent, down four-tenths of a point from January 2010 and down 0.3 points from a year ago.
Vermont Labor Force Statistics (Seasonally Adjusted)
Changes From
February
2010
January
2010
February
2009
January
2010
February
2009
Total Labor Force
361,300
359,900
361,100
1,400
200
Employment
337,400
335,900
337,000
1,500
400
Unemployment
23,900
24,100
24,100
-200
-200
Rate (%)
6.6
6.7
6.7
-0.1
-0.1
Vermont’s labor force, employment and unemployment statistics are produced from a combination of a Statewide survey of households and statistical modeling. The data are produced by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program (LAUS) a cooperative program with the US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Vermont Department of Labor.
Vermont Seasonally Adjusted Nonfarm Employment in Thousands
BY NAICS
Prelim.
Revised
Revised
Change From:
% Change From:
Feb-10
Jan-10
Feb-09
Jan-10
Feb-09
Jan-10
Feb-09
Total - All Industries
297.3
296.3
301.2
1.0
-3.9
0.3
-1.3
Private Industries
243.3
242.4
246.8
0.9
-3.5
0.4
-1.4
Construction
12.3
12.5
14.3
-0.2
-2.0
-1.6
-14.0
Manufacturing
30.6
30.4
32.8
0.2
-2.2
0.7
-6.7
Durable Goods
21.8
21.5
23.7
0.3
-1.9
1.4
-8.0
Non-Durable Goods
8.8
8.9
9.1
-0.1
-0.3
-1.1
-3.3
Trade, Transportation & Utilities
54.6
54.3
57.0
0.3
-2.4
0.6
-4.2
Retail Trade
36.5
36.3
38.6
0.2
-2.1
0.6
-5.4
Trans., Warehousing & Utilities
8.1
8.1
8.5
0.0
-0.4
0.0
-4.7
Financial Activities
12.5
12.4
12.5
0.1
0.0
0.8
0.0
Professional & Business Services
21.8
21.8
22.2
0.0
-0.4
0.0
-1.8
Professional., Scientific & Technical
12.7
12.8
13.1
-0.1
-0.8
-0.8
-3.1
Administrative Support & Waste
8.9
8.5
8.7
0.4
0.2
4.7
2.3
Education & Health Services
61.0
60.9
59.4
0.1
1.6
0.2
2.7
Private Ed. Services
13.0
12.8
13.3
0.2
-0.3
1.6
-2.3
Health Care & Social Assistance
48.0
48.1
46.1
-0.1
1.9
-0.2
4.1
Leisure & Hospitality
34.6
34.4
32.4
0.2
2.2
0.6
6.8
Arts, Entertainment & Recreation
3.7
3.7
4.0
0.0
-0.3
0.0
-7.5
Accommodation & Food Services
30.9
30.7
28.4
0.2
2.5
0.7
8.8
Other Services
9.6
9.9
9.6
-0.3
0.0
-3.0
0.0
Total Government
54.0
53.9
54.4
0.1
-0.4
0.2
-0.7
State Government
17.3
17.5
17.9
-0.2
-0.6
-1.1
-3.4
Local Government
30.3
30.0
30.2
0.3
0.1
1.0
0.3
Burlington-S. Burlington MSA
Total - All Industries
109.7
109.1
112.6
0.6
-2.9
0.5
-2.6
Statewide Total - All Industries estimate is seasonally adjusted independently.
Note: Beginning January 2009 Vermont is publishing a seasonally adjusted Total-All Industries estimate for the
Burlington - S. Burlington MSA.
Current Employment Statistics Program (CES). Produced by the Vermont Department of Labor in cooperation with the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics.
ESTIMATED NONFARM EMPLOYMENT IN VERMONT
(not seasonally adjusted)
PRELIM
REVISED
REVISED
CHANGES FROM
% CHANGES FROM
INDUSTRY BY NAICS
Feb-10
Jan-10
Feb-09
Jan-10
Feb-09
Jan-10
Feb-09
TOTAL NONFARM
296,600
294,400
300,800
2,200
-4,200
0.7%
-1.4%
TOTAL PRIVATE
240,100
239,600
243,850
500
-3,750
0.2%
-1.5%
GOODS PRODUCING
40,400
40,950
44,700
-550
-4,300
-1.3%
-9.6%
MANUFACTURING
30,300
30,100
32,400
200
-2,100
0.7%
-6.5%
Durable Goods
21,750
21,350
23,500
400
-1,750
1.9%
-7.4%
Computer & Electrical Equipment Mfg.
7,650
7,750
8,300
-100
-650
-1.3%
-7.8%
Fabricated Metal Products Mfg.
2,350
2,350
2,450
0
-100
0.0%
-4.1%
Non-Durable Goods
8,550
8,750
8,900
-200
-350
-2.3%
-3.9%
Food Mfg.
3,800
3,900
3,850
-100
-50
-2.6%
-1.3%
CONSTRUCTION
9,400
10,150
11,600
-750
-2,200
-7.4%
-19.0%
MINING & LOGGING
700
700
700
0
0
0.0%
0.0%
SERVICE-PROVIDING
256,200
253,450
256,100
2,750
100
1.1%
0.0%
TRADE, TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES
53,350
53,500
56,100
-150
-2,750
-0.3%
-4.9%
Wholesale Trade
9,850
9,650
9,750
200
100
2.1%
1.0%
Retail Trade
35,500
35,800
38,000
-300
-2,500
-0.8%
-6.6%
Food & Beverage Stores
9,850
10,100
9,800
-250
50
-2.5%
0.5%
General Merchandise Store
2,800
2,900
2,650
-100
150
-3.4%
5.7%
Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities
8,000
8,050
8,350
-50
-350
-0.6%
-4.2%
Utilities
1,700
1,700
1,700
0
0
0.0%
0.0%
Transportation & Warehousing
6,300
6,350
6,650
-50
-350
-0.8%
-5.3%
INFORMATION
5,400
5,350
5,550
50
-150
0.9%
-2.7%
FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES
12,450
12,400
12,500
50
-50
0.4%
-0.4%
Finance & Insurance
9,500
9,450
9,450
50
50
0.5%
0.5%
Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
2,950
2,950
3,050
0
-100
0.0%
-3.3%
PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS SERVICES
20,950
20,850
21,250
100
-300
0.5%
-1.4%
Professional, Scientific and Technical
12,600
12,600
13,100
0
-500
0.0%
-3.8%
Administrative, Support and Waste
8,150
7,900
7,800
250
350
3.2%
4.5%
EDUCATIONAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
61,100
60,200
59,450
900
1,650
1.5%
2.8%
Educational Services
13,500
12,550
13,750
950
-250
7.6%
-1.8%
College, Universities and Professional
7,650
7,200
7,700
450
-50
6.3%
-0.6%
Health Care and Social Assistance
47,600
47,650
45,700
-50
1,900
-0.1%
4.2%
Ambulatory Health Care Services
15,800
15,800
15,600
0
200
0.0%
1.3%
Hospitals
12,850
12,900
12,300
-50
550
-0.4%
4.5%
Nursing and Residential Care Facilities
6,850
6,850
6,850
0
0
0.0%
0.0%
LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY
37,050
36,650
34,850
400
2,200
1.1%
6.3%
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
3,350
3,300
3,700
50
-350
1.5%
-9.5%
Accommodation and Food Services
33,700
33,350
31,150
350
2,550
1.0%
8.2%
Accommodations
16,750
16,400
13,850
350
2,900
2.1%
20.9%
Hotels & Motels
14,400
14,300
13,000
100
1,400
0.7%
10.8%
Food Services and Drinking Places
16,950
16,950
17,300
0
-350
0.0%
-2.0%
OTHER SERVICES
9,400
9,700
9,450
-300
-50
-3.1%
-0.5%
GOVERNMENT
56,500
54,800
56,950
1,700
-450
3.1%
-0.8%
Federal Government
6,350
6,450
6,400
-100
-50
-1.6%
-0.8%
State Government Education
9,250
7,850
9,300
1,400
-50
17.8%
-0.5%
Local Government Education
25,100
24,500
24,900
600
200
2.4%
0.8%
Other State Government
8,800
9,050
9,300
-250
-500
-2.8%
-5.4%
Other Local Government
7,000
6,950
7,050
50
-50
0.7%
-0.7%
Note: CES PROGRAM DATA ARE PRDUCED IN COOPERATION WITH THE U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
ESTIMATES ARE PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO REVISION. SEE ANNUAL SUMMARY FOR DETAILS
Beginning with the January ’09 estimates CES has implemented a change to the
Super Sector previously titled “Natural Resources & Mining” to “Mining & Logging”.
It’s merely a change of title to better reflect the true makeup of the Super Sector in CES.
VERMONT LABOR FORCE AND UNEMPLOYMENT
LABOR MARKET AREAS BY RESIDENCE (Not Seasonally Adjusted)
February 2010 Estimates
Total
Number
Number
Feb-10
Jan-10
Feb-09
Area
Labor Force
Employed
Unemployed
Rate (%)
Rate (%)
Rate (%)
Barre-Montpelier
29,500
27,200
2,300
7.8
8.6
8.2
Bennington
13,250
12,250
1,050
7.8
8.0
9.6
Bradford
4,900
4,400
500
10.1
10.0
10.2
Brattleboro
24,650
23,050
1,600
6.4
6.8
6.4
Burlington-South Burlington
113,150
106,550
6,600
5.8
6.4
6.3
Hartford
19,800
18,800
1,000
5.1
5.0
4.7
Manchester
12,450
11,550
950
7.6
7.7
7.8
Middlebury
17,850
16,400
1,400
8.0
8.1
8.0
Morristown-Stowe
20,900
19,150
1,750
8.3
8.5
8.6
Newport
14,250
12,700
1,550
11.0
11.0
11.9
Randolph
8,600
7,850
750
8.5
8.8
8.7
Rutland
28,150
26,000
2,150
7.6
7.8
7.8
Springfield
13,300
12,350
950
7.2
7.4
7.1
St. Johnsbury
14,750
13,500
1,250
8.5
8.8
8.7
Swanton-Enosburg
14,300
13,050
1,250
8.7
9.0
9.3
Warren-Waitsfield
4,600
4,400
200
4.4
4.6
4.3
Woodstock
3,450
3,250
200
5.9
6.1
5.2
Vermont Total
360,200
334,550
25,650
7.1
7.5
7.4
Note: Unemployment rate is calculated as the number of unemployed divided by total labor force and expressed as a percent.
Source: Vermont Department of Labor LAUS program in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Source: VT DOL. 3.26