CT Labor Dept.: Unemployment down in 90 percent of municipalities

The unemployment rate fell in 90 percent of Connecticut municipalities in 2017, the seventh consecutive year that such workforce gains have been recorded, according to the state Department of Labor.

The unemployment rate improved in 152 of the state”™s 169 municipalities last year; however, that figure compared unfavorably with the 159 that saw unemployment fall in 2016.

The state’s unemployment rate improved to 4.7 percent in 2017 compared to 5.1 percent in 2016.

Within Fairfield County, both Redding and Wilton had the lowest unemployment rate in 2017 at 3.6 percent, followed closely by Ridgefield and Westport, both at 3.7 percent. Among cities with at least 100,000 residents statewide, Stamford posted the lowest unemployment rate of 4.1 percent.

New Canaan had the state”™s lowest jobless rate, 2.8 percent.

The municipality with the highest unemployment rate within the county last year was Bridgeport at 6.8 percent. Hartford posted the highest jobless rate in the state at 8.1 percent.