Business is flourishing in every corner of Maryland, according to a new Department of Labor report showing lower unemployment rates across all 24 counties and Baltimore City.
Statewide joblessness is the lowest it’s been since September 2008. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell from 5.6 percent last September to 5.1 percent this September, in no small part due to an added 44,700 jobs over the same period. Private sector positions increased by 22,000 from January to September, bringing Maryland’s labor force to a historical high.
Service-providing industries saw the most significant job growth between last September and this one, according to the report. The health care and social assistance sector grew by 11,400, professional and business services by 9,000, and retail trade by 4,200. Some industries—including manufacturing and transportation—lost more jobs than they gained, but not enough to deter Maryland’s overall progression.
“The Maryland Department of Labor supports local employers and will continue to foster job creation and invest in skills development to prepare Marylanders for new opportunities,” Maryland Labor Secretary Kelly M. Schulz said in a statement published in the report.
