WASHINGTON: Oklahoma’s unemployment rate continued to grow in March to 4.4 percent but remains below the national average of 5 percent, according to a report released by Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. Oklahoma’s unemployment rates have hovered around 4.1 to 4.2 percent for the past six months, according to the report.
Three of Oklahoma’s “supersectors” added jobs in March as “other services,” according to the report. Other services posted the largest monthly gain with more than 700 additional jobs. The leisure and hospitality sector continued to show the largest gains for the year with more than 9,200 jobs added over the year.
Unlike last month, professional and businesses services report the largest job loss over the month at 2,400 lost jobs. Manufacturing came in second with a job loss of 1,700 jobs. Overall, manufacturing, mining and logging continue to show the largest loss over the year of more than 22,800 jobs. Per county unemployment rates in Northwest Oklahoma varied as rates in central and northeast Oklahoma dropped slightly. Eastern Oklahoma continues to have the highest unemployment rates in the state with McIntosh County holding the highest rate in Oklahoma with 8.5 percent.
