Unemployment rates in the Syracuse, Utica–Rome, Watertown–Fort Drum, Binghamton, Ithaca, and Elmira regions fell in October compared to a year ago as the regions continued to recover from the impact of layoffs in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The figures are part of the latest New York State Department of Labor data released Nov. 23.

In addition, the Syracuse, Utica–Rome, Watertown–Fort Drum, Binghamton, and Ithaca regions gained jobs in four-digit figures between October 2020 and this past October. The Elmira area gained jobs in three-digit figures in the same period.

That’s according to the latest monthly employment report that the New York State Department of Labor issued Nov. 18.

Regional unemployment rates

The jobless rate in the Syracuse area was 4.3 percent in October, down from 5.7 percent in October 2020.

The Utica–Rome region’s rate fell to 4.4 percent from 5.6 percent a year prior; the Watertown–Fort Drum area’s number dipped to 4.2 percent from 5.1 percent; the Binghamton region posted 4.4 percent, down from 5.8 percent; the Ithaca area’s rate fell to 3.5 percent from 4.4 percent; and the Elmira region had unemployment of 4.5 percent in October, down from 6.1 percent in the same month a year ago.

The local-unemployment data isn’t seasonally adjusted, meaning the figures don’t reflect seasonal influences such as holiday hires.

The unemployment rates are calculated following procedures prescribed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the state Labor Department said.

State unemployment rate

New York state’s unemployment rate fell to 6.9 percent in October from 7.1 percent in September and 8.7 percent in October 2020, according to department figures.

The federal government calculates New York’s unemployment rate partly based upon the results of a monthly telephone survey of 3,100 state households that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics conducts.

October jobs data

The Syracuse region gained 1,800 jobs in the past year, an increase of 0.6 percent.

The Utica–Rome metro area picked up 2,700 positions, a rise of 2.3 percent; the Watertown–Fort Drum region gained 1,400 jobs, up 3.6 percent; the Binghamton area added 2,000 jobs, an increase of 2.1 percent; the Ithaca region gained 1,200 jobs, up 2.1 percent; and the Elmira area picked up 900 positions in the past year, an increase of 2.6 percent.

New York state as a whole gained nearly 289,000 jobs, an increase of 3.3 percent, in that 12-month period. The state economy also gained 41,300 jobs, up 0.5 percent, between September and October of this year, the labor department said.

The number of unemployed New Yorkers decreased over the month by 23,500, from 663,200 in September to 639,700 in October, the department said.