ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – New data from the New York State Department of Labor shows the City of Elmira has the highest unemployment rate in the Southern Tier at 4.7%. All other cities and towns are below the statewide jobless rate of 3.8%. The national unemployment rate is 3.6%.

The report states “All of the largest labor force areas in the Southern Tier Region, except the City of Elmira, had unemployment rates below the State’s unemployment rate in May 2023.” The report says the unemployment rate for the Southern Tier remained unchanged over the past year at 3%.

Private sector jobs in the Southern Tier ticked up by 0.3%. Government jobs ticked up by 0.2%. A total of 2,100 jobs were added over the past year. 1,400 jobs were lost. That results in a net gain of 600 private sector jobs and 100 government jobs.

The biggest job gains were in private education, health services, leisure & hospitality, other services and government jobs. The biggest losses were in financial activities, trade, transportation & utilities, professional & business services, natural resources, mining & construction and information. Manufacturing remained flat.

The report says the most significant industry in the Southern Tier is private education & health services at 24.4% of all jobs. That’s followed by government jobs at 19.8%. Trade, transportation & utilities is at 15.3%.

The report only analyzed towns & cities with populations above 25,000.

To read the full report, visit the New York State Department of Labor site here.

To view unemployment data for Tioga & Bradford counties in Pennsylvania’s Northern Tier, click here.