Lower unemployment means more jobs for WNYers

The NYS Labor Department says there is good news on the local unemployment rate: it's down significantly from this same time last year.

The latest numbers from June show the Buffalo-Niagara region with a 4.5% unemployment rate. That's down one whole percent from last June at 5.4%.

In addition, private sector jobs in New York State have increased by more than 120,000 over the past year, reaching a record-high of over 7 million private sector jobs throughout the state.

This comes as good news for many millennials, like Demario Johnson, a recent Buffalo State College graduate who is eager to land his dream job here at home. 

"With the fact that unemployment has actually gone down and employment is going up, there are more opportunities for us, it's great for the economy," he said. 

Employment expert, Peggy Koch of Key Resource Group, LLC, says Buffalo's momentum has a lot to do with the job growth.

"I think, in general, this is the positive side of the resurgence and Buffalo coming back," she expressed.

Nassau and Suffolk counties have the lowest unemployment numbers, meanwhile Elmira and New York City have the highest number of those without jobs.

For more on the industries with the highest percentage of job growth, click here.