Oklahoma’s jobless rate declines
Oklahoma’s jobless rate declines
National numbers also show some improvement, especially in largest metropolitan areas
BY SUSAN SIMPSON 
3 Comments
Jobless rates in all 77 Oklahoma counties dipped in March, a sign of economic recovery in the state, according to the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission.
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The Oklahoma City area unemployment rate dipped to 6.1 percent in March, with 34,910 jobless people. That’s down from 6.7 percent in February.
The unemployment rate in the Tulsa area decreased to 7.5 percent from 8.1 percent in February. Lawton’s joblessness fell to 5.4 percent in March, down from February’s 6 percent.
“It’s definitely what we’d want to see as we move forward,” said OESC spokesman John Carpenter. “It looks like we are headed in the right direction now.”
Unemployment rates fell or remained level in three-quarters of the 372 largest metropolitan areas, a sign that the recovery is widespread, the U.S. Labor Department said.
The Oklahoma City area gained 4,400 jobs from February to March, with most growth seen in retail, leisure and hospitality, and local government jobs.
The state unemployment rate was 6.6 percent in March, the lowest recorded in 10 months.
Unemployment was highest in Latimer, McCurtain, Sequoyah and Hughes counties. It was lowest in Beaver, Harper and Woods counties.
The Labor Department said Wednesday the jobless rate dropped in 69 percent of metro areas last month from February. It rose in 24 percent of large cities and remained the same in the rest. That’s an improvement from February, when the unemployment rate decreased in 51 percent of metro areas and increased in one-third.
CONTRIBUTING: The Associated Press
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Showing 3 of 3 comments
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R, Seattle via OKC  3 hours ago |
if it is adjusted, then this IS good news!
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sharifa, oakpark 6 hours ago |
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R, Seattle via OKC 3 hours ago in reply to sharifa, oakpark |
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It is great to not only see that Oklahoma City dropped in unemployment, but that it dropped around the country. Any recovery in the overall housing market will be aided more by people having jobs than anything else. The tax credit stimulus worked to create a brdige, now we just need to keep creating jobs to sustain the momentum.
