County jobless rate declines in October

In years past, the decrease in unemployment correlating with seasonal hiring has been seen in November, but this year, retail stores started hiring for seasonal reasons in October, said Andrew Challenger, vice president at consulting firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas.

Our unemployment rate is better than the statewide average of 3.7 percent, and also the national average of five percent.

The United States’ jobless rate decreased one-tenth of a percentage point, down to 5.0 percent in October.

Workforce Solutions Alamo released information indicating that the Wilson County unemployment rate increased to 3.9 percent in October, up from 3.8 percent reported in September. That’s down from the 3.1 percent we had in September.

Seasonal adjustments allow numbers to be more accurately compared from month to month because they account for variations caused by holiday employment booms and other factors. In October 2014, it was 9.7 percent.

Unemployment rates dropped in 51 of West Virginia’s 55 counties in October.

Elsewhere in Central OR, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Crook County dipped from 8.8 percent in September to 8.6 percent in October.

Across the state line, the October rate in Adams County, Indiana, was 3.3 percent, while Allen County, Indiana, saw its rate hit 4.1 percent.

Year-to-year job gains happened across the board. In October 2014, it was 8.8 percent.