Vermont’s unemployment rose by .1 percent in September, to 3.7 percent.
Of the state’s 17 labor markets, Derby had the highest unemployment rate at 5.5 percent, while the lowest was 3.2 percent in Burlington-South Burlington. Unlike the statewide rate, the local rates are not adjusted to compensate for seasonal changes in employment.
The national unemployment rate in September was 5.1 percent.
The state’s unemployment rate peaked at 7.0 percent in May of 2009 and has fallen steadily since.
The state’s labor force declined in September to 347,200, the lowest number since November, 2003.
"It has been a very positive 12 month period, during which time Vermont's unemployment rate has only increased once,” said Labor Secretary Annie Noonan in a statement.
“Vermont's current rate of 3.7 percent is still one of the very lowest unemployment rates in the country, and many Vermont employers are continuing to recruit and hire new employees,”
However, according to the Public Assets Institute the latest numbers “show virtually no growth in 2015”.
“Total employment, which includes the self-employed along with payroll employees, dropped for the second month in a row. There were 2,500 fewer Vermonters working in September than in July,” the Vermont-based non-profit said in response to the latest figures.
