CNY region unemployment rates decline in June compared to a year ago

Unemployment rates in the Syracuse, Binghamton, Utica–Rome, Ithaca, and Watertown–Fort Drum metro areas fell in June, compared to a year earlier, according to the latest New York State Department of Labor data released Tuesday.

The jobless rate in the Syracuse area was 4.5 percent last month, down from 5.5 percent in June 2015.

The unemployment rate in the Utica–Rome region fell to 4.4 percent this June from 5.4 percent in the year-earlier period.

The jobless rate in the Watertown–Fort Drum area dipped to 4.9 percent last month from 5.9 percent in June 2015.

The unemployment rate in the Binghamton region declined to 4.9 percent in June from 5.9 percent a year ago, according to figures from the state Labor Department.

The jobless rate in the Ithaca region was 4.0 percent in June, below the 4.6 percent rate in June 2015.

The local unemployment data isn’t seasonally adjusted, meaning the figures don’t reflect seasonal influences such as holiday hires.

The unemployment rates are calculated following procedures prescribed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state Labor Department said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com