The Labor Department reported that unemployment continued to drop in the Northeast Kingdom

The Labor Department reported that unemployment continued to drop in the Northeast Kingdom in October with both the St. Johnsbury and Derby areas recording their lowest unemployment rates since before the pandemic began in March 2023. Derby’s unemployment rate was 2.3% in October, down from 2.9% in September and down from 3.4% in October 2022. There were 12,330 people employed in the Derby area, which is up 226 in the year-over-year comparison that the Labor Department recommends as a measure of economic activity. There were 293 people considered unemployed in October. St. Johnsbury’s unemployment rate was at 1.9% in October, down from 2.1% in September and down from 2.7% in October 2022. There were 13,518 people employed in the St. Johnsbury area last month, an increase of 311 people compared to last year.