ALBANY – The number of new jobs added in the Mid-Hudson Valley during the 12-month period ending in February totaled 18,900, 2.5 percent increase, to 766,800.
The largest percentage growth was in Greene County, at 2.7 percent; while they were up by 2.4 percent in the Orange-Rockland-Westchester Metropolitan Division, by 2.1 percent in the Dutchess-Putnam Metro Division and by 2.0 percent in Ulster County.
In Columbia County, jobs grew by 1.9 percent while they stayed the same with no growth in Sullivan County.
Dutchess County Deputy Planning Commissioner Ronald Hicks said job growth in that county “is turning the corner with 3.1 percent growth from January to February of this year. That compared to 2.1 percent growth during the same period last year. The county saw a net gain of 4,300 jobs in Dutchess from this January to February.
“While certainly not a trend yet, this is great news and shows that Dutchess County’s economy is ticking up,” said Hicks.
Region-wide, jobs were added in educational and health services; natural resources, mining and construction; professional and business services; other services; trade, transportation and utilities; and financial activities. Job losses were centered in leisure and hospitality; and manufacturing. The government sector added 1,500 jobs over the period.
