Pennsylvania's Regional Economies Perform Poorly Since 2001

In terms of the variables that matter most to the quality of life for the middle class, Pennsylvania’s regional economies have been stuck in reverse or neutral over the last three years.

The KRC regional economic reviews (listed below) examine data for job growth by industry, unemployment and wage levels (where statistics are available) for each of Pennsylvania’s 14 metropolitan regions, including Allentown, Altoona, Erie, Harrisburg, Johnstown, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, Scranton, Sharon, State College, Williamsport, and York.

In most areas of the state employment has declined over the last three years with the manufacturing sector especially hard hit. Across the state unemployment is up since August 2001 and wages are down in many areas.

Sharon, Reading and Williamsport had the largest percent change in employment between August 2001 and August 2004, with declines of 4.4%, 3.5%, and 2.6% respectively. Of the 14 metropolitan regions only 4 had gains employment in the period. These are Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carisle, with the largest gain of 1.7%, Altoona and Lancaster which both gained 0.7%, and metropolitan Philadelphia with a gain of just 0.2%.

Statewide, employment in Pennsylvania declined by 0.7% between August 2001 and August 2004.

None of Pennsylvania’s metro areas gained manufacturing jobs between August 2001 and August 2004. State College had the largest percent loss in manufacturing employment at 29.6%, followed by Reading losing 21.4%, and Allentown Bethlehem losing 19.2% of manufacturing jobs since August 2001. The largest number of manufacturing jobs were lost in Metro Philadelphia, where manufacturing employment declined by 39,100 (or 15.5%), Pittsburgh which lost 14,400 manufacturing jobs (or 12.1%), and Allentown-Bethlehem which lost 9,600.

Manufacturing wages fell in five of the nine regions between August 2001 and August 2004. Scranton—Wilkes-Barre—Hazelton, Allentown-Bethlehem, and Metro Philadelphia had the largest declines of 6.8%, 4.6%, and 5.2 percent respectively. Modest gains in manufacturing wages came in Reading, up by 1.3%, Harrisburg, up by 0.7% percent, and Pittsburgh, up by just 0.4%.

SWP Regional Reports Download

Click on any of the following links to download a State of Working Pennsylvania 2004 regional review. All reports are in Adobe PDF format.

Allentown

Altoona

Erie

Harrisburg

Johnstown

Lancaster

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

Reading

Scranton

Sharon

State College

Williamsport

York

© 2004 Keystone Research Center