Putnam again boasts lowest unemployment rate in New York

ALBANY – For the sixth consecutive month, Putnam County has the distinction of having the lowest rate of unemployment in New York State.

The state Labor Department released New York’s September statistics on Wednesday and Putnam recorded a rate of 3.4 percent unemployment.

Overall, Hudson Valley, with 3.8 percent, was third in the state behind the Capital Region with 3.6 percent unemployment and Long Island with 3.7 percent among the 10 labor market regions in New York.

While Putnam’s rate was 3.4 percent, Dutchess and Rockland counties’ rate of joblessness was 3.7 percent followed by Westchester, Sullivan, and Ulster’s rates of 3.8 percent.

Orange County had the highest rate of unemployment in Hudson Valley at 4.2 percent.

In September 2026, there were 49,400 unemployed in the region, up from 48,100 in August 2026 and up from 47,900 in September 2025.  Year-over-year in September 2026, labor force increased by 21,300 or 1.7 percent, to 1,249,400.