ALBANY—The New York State Department of Labor has released the preliminary unemployment rates for August 2024, highlighting local area unemployment data across the state.
The figures, based on methods prescribed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, offer insights into employment trends by region.
Local area unemployment rates are reported as not seasonally adjusted, reflecting seasonal influences such as holiday and summer hires. Year-over-year comparisons show changes in employment conditions from August 2023 to August 2024.
In the Albany-Schenectady-Troy metropolitan area, the unemployment rate was 3.7% in August 2024, up from 3.4% in August 2023. By county, Albany County’s rate was 3.8%, Rensselaer County’s was 3.7%, Saratoga County’s was 3.2%, and Schenectady County’s was 4.1%.
Columbia and Hamilton counties accounted for the lowest unemployment rates in the state, both at 3.1%.
