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MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County’s unemployment rate in the month of September made a significant drop.
According to figures released by the New York State Labor Department, the county’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.2 percent last month.
The number, according to labor officials, represents a decrease of 3.2 percent from August’s rate of 9.4 percent.
Overall local jobless rates remain lower than New York State’s overall average, which is 9.7 percent.
In Cattaraugus County the unemployment rate also significantly fell from 9.8 percent in August to 5.9 percent in September.
Last week the U.S. Commerce Department reported an increase of nearly two percent in retail sales nationwide.
Experts say it’s an encouraging trend with many stores closing and the unemployment rate reaching nearly eight percent nationally.
Analysts speculate people are shopping more because they are spending less on services.
In April, retail sales fell to a seven-year low due to the pandemic, but started bouncing back in July.
Though sales are up slightly, foot traffic in brick and mortar stores was down sharply, a whopping 43 percent the first week in October.
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