South Jersey job growth was mixed late last year
The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics says job growth in parts of South Jersey slowed in October. But overall, the region's economy was mixed.
Bureau economist Bruce Bergman says part of that South Jersey economic mixed picture has to do with a kind of "simmering down" as the year progressed. And he says the sluggish hiring in October in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties is a rerun.
"A somewhat similar pattern occurred last year, with a little slower growth towards the end of the year," he said.
Those three counties added 4,500 jobs from October of 2015 to October of 2016, and the growth rate dropped below 1 percent for that area.
But it is not all doom and gloom for the South Jersey economy. By contrast, Bergman reports Ocean City has enjoyed an almost 6 percent employment gain, and the leisure and hospitality industries aren't the only South Jersey job gains.
He says year-over-year growth in Atlantic County was below 1 percent. But some of the other counties in south Jersey posted decent year-over-year growth, such as Burlington County, with 2.7 percent over the year, which is above the state average and above the national job growth rate of 1.7% for the year ending in June.
And the numbers show South Jersey as a whole is keeping pace with economies in surrounding states.
Joe Cutter is the afternoon news anchor on New Jersey 101.5
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