Unemployment Around 6% in Area of Watchung, Green Brook

The areas closest to Watchung and Green Brook are seeing a fairly low unemployment rate, though it’s still more than double what it was when the economy was at its best, according to statewide figures.

Although figures for Watchung and Green Brook specifically are not available, unemployment in Bridgewater, as of February 2013, is at 6.1 percent, according to information from the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

With 23,472 people in Bridgewater employed as of February, 1,538 are unemployed, for a total of 25,010 in the labor force.

When 2012 ended, the annual figures found the unemployment rate at about 6.9 percent. A total of 25,237 people were in the labor force, with 1,744 of them being unemployed.

At its worst, Bridgewater saw 7.6 percent unemployment, in July 2009 and July 2010. At both times, there were about 1,900 people unemployed.

At its best, Bridgewater saw 2.7 percent unemployment, calculated in December 2004.

In comparison, the county as a whole is looking at 7.0 percent unemployment, as of February 2013. A total of 182,423 people are in the labor force, with 169,606 employed and 12,817 not employed.