Labor Dept. releases unemployment rates

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The Buffalo-Niagara region unemployment rate grew between November 2011 and November 2012. According to the unemployment rates listed by the State Labor Department, the Buffalo-Niagara area had a 7.5 percent unemployment rate in November 2011, and in November 2012 had a 7.9 percent.

The Labor Department says the state’s private sector job count increased by 88,000 from November 2011 to November 2012.

The Labor Department determined their rates by using a telephone survey of 3,100 households out of more than seven million. Also determined in their survey are the following rates:

The counties in New York State with the lowest unemployment rates include:
  Tompkins County (5.4%)
  Putnam County (6.2%)
  Rockland County (6.4%)
  Saratoga County (6.4%)
  Yates County (6.4%)

The counties in New York State with the highest unemployment rates include:
  Bronx County (11.8%)
  Hamilton County (10.5%)
  Orleans County (10.1%)
  Essex County (9.8%)
  Fulton County (9.7%)