Report: Most CNY region unemployment rates rose in August

Unemployment rates in the Syracuse, Utica–Rome, Watertown–Fort Drum, and Ithaca regions increased in August compared to a year ago.

Meanwhile, the jobless rate in the Elmira area fell from the same month in 2016, while the unemployment rate in the Binghamton area was unchanged.

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

The jobless rate in the Syracuse area was 4.8 percent in August, up from 4.7 percent in August 2016. The unemployment rate in the Utica–Rome region rose to 4.8 percent in August from 4.5 percent in the year-earlier period.

The jobless rate in the Watertown–Fort Drum area was 5.4 percent in August, up from 5.3 percent a year ago. The rate in the Ithaca region increased to 4.4 percent in August, from 4.2 percent in July 2016.

The unemployment rate in the Binghamton region was unchanged at 5.0 percent in August, according to figures from the state Labor Department.

The jobless rate in the Elmira region fell to 5.2 percent from 5.4 percent in the year-earlier period.

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