Pa.’s unemployment rate dropped in July, still above national rate

Unemployment in the Keystone State notched its fifth, consecutive monthly reduction, dropping to 6.6 percent in July, state officials said Friday. That’s still above the nationwide rate of 5.4 percent.

The state’s unemployment rate was down 6.4 percentage points from the same point in July 2020, the state Department of Labor & Industry said in a statement. The number of people looking for work in July dropped by 16,000 people. Officials attributed that to a rise in employment.

Jobs increased in eight of the 11 industry sectors that officials track, with the largest gain coming in leisure and hospitality employment, which added 16,200 jobs, according to state data. The education and health services sector charted the largest drop, losing 2,400 jobs, state data indicated.