Report: Most CNY region unemployment rates decline in January

Unemployment rates in the Syracuse, Utica–Rome, Binghamton, and Ithaca regions fell in January compared to a year ago, while the jobless rate in the Watertown–Fort Drum metro area rose slightly.

The figures are part of the latest New York State Department of Labor data released Tuesday.

The jobless rate in the Syracuse area was 5.5 percent in January, down from 5.6 percent in January 2016.

The unemployment rate in the Utica–Rome region was 5.7 percent in January, down from 5.9 percent in the year-earlier period.

The jobless rate in the Binghamton area fell to 6.2 percent in January from 6.3 percent a year ago, according to figures from the state Labor Department.

The unemployment rate in the Ithaca region dropped to 4.3 percent in January from 4.6 percent a year prior.

But the jobless rate in the Watertown–Fort Drum area ticked up to 7.7 percent this January from 7.4 percent in January 2016.

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