Unemployment among Scranton--Wilkes-Barre area residents fell three thirds of a percentage point to 9.6 percent in March, a month that marked the third year in which the region's joblessness led the state.
The drop offered a hint of relief from high joblessness and assuaged fears that the region may hit double-digit seasonally-adjusted unemployment, but the decline came with a distinction: 36th consecutive month in which metro area unemployment was the highest among the state's 14 metro areas.
The lowest rate, 5.6 percent, was enjoyed by State College. The only other metro area in the state over 9 percent in March was Johnstown's.
February's local tentative rate of 9.8 percent was adjusted up to 9.9 percent.
Contact the writer: dfalchek@timesshamrock.com