Ridgefield Unemployment Well Below CT Average

Despite the addition of 7,400 new jobs in April and May of this year Connecticut’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8 percent, according to data released this week by the Department of Labor.

Though the rate has remained unchanged for the past four months, labor officials said the jobs picture in Connecticut is looking up.

“With the exception of a storm [that] impacted February, Connecticut has been experiencing consistent job growth so far this year,” said Andy Condon, Director of the Office of Research for the state’s labor department. “The upward turn in labor force participation, after 35 straight months of decline, may indicate increased confidence in labor market conditions. However, there are still headwinds ahead. Federal budget sequester cuts could hinder employment growth possibilities throughout the rest of 2013.”

In Ridgefield , the unemployment rate for the town’s labor force of approximately 11,906 is well below the state average, hovering between 5-5.7 percent. At the beginning of the year the town’s unemployment rate was 5.4 percent but dropped to 5 percent by April. It crept up to 5.7 percent in February and again in May, according to data released recently by the labor department.