York County employment shows second quarter decrease

Reflecting the impact of overlapping economic factors, York County employment declined over the second quarter of 2025, according to Economic Intelligence Reports.

Produced on a quarterly basis for York County by EDC Lancaster County’s Center for Regional Analysis, the Economic Intelligence Reports that unemployment increased slightly over the last year, yet remained relatively low in Q2, mirroring levels recorded in 2022.

In June, York County’s unemployment rate was 4.3% – an increase of 0.5 percentage points from June 2024. The unemployment rate remains a full percentage point below the York County June average of 5.3%, since records began in 1990.

The reports revealed that unemployment followed seasonal trends from March to June, rising by 2,000 people. The tight labor market continues to pose challenges for employers in the hunt for workers to fill high-skilled positions that require specialized training or experience.

“The demand for talent continues to be a need in York County, with more employees reaching retirement and employment declining across all industries,” York County Economic Alliance President and CEO Kevin Schreiber said in a statement. “The number of those employed dipped by 2,200 workers, a vast change from the summer uptick consistent in York County from 1990 through 2024.

“However, our unemployment rate remains a full percentage point below the national average, coming in at 4.3%.

“As employers are in the hunt for workers to fill high-skilled positions with specialized training or experience, we work to position York County as the ideal location to retain, or recruit talent. The development of the website, WhyYork.PA.com, was a direct response to the need to promote York County as a vibrant community for young professionals and growing families, as well as companies seeking a location that makes themselves attractive to a talented workforce,” added Schreiber.

Nationally, inflation increased in Q2 but remained below levels recorded at the beginning of the year. In June, year-over-year headline inflation rose by 2.7%, while core inflation – which excludes more volatile food and energy prices – rose by 2.9%.

Per the Economic Intelligence Reports, these are the highest levels since February, when headline and core inflation reached 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively. The uptick in inflation, coupled with uncertainties about the impact of federal tariffs on prices, prompted the Federal Open Market Committee to keep the federal funds rate steady at 4.25–4.50% for the fourth consecutive meeting in June.

Rising inflation was largely attributed to the increased price of services, which was up 3.8% over the last year. Nationally, housing also remains a major driver, with shelter costs up 3.8% year-over-year. Median home sales price in York County rose by 6.6% from June 2024 to June 2025.

U.S. consumer sentiment increased across Q2, after dropping in April and May. National sentiment rose by 3.7 index points over Q2, spurred by a positive shift in June.

Increased concerns regarding federal tariff policy, rising unemployment, and inflation contributed to lower sentiment in both April and May. The survey recorded an index score of 52.2 in April and May, the lowest scores seen since July 2022 (51.5). These concerns began to moderate in June, however, resulting in an 8.5 index point increase in sentiment from May to June.

Economic Intelligence Reports for York County are produced to equip the local business community with timely, actionable insights on the local economy. In addition to data collected at the national, state and local levels, these intelligence briefings incorporate interviews with business and community leaders to provide insights and identify emerging issues from national, state, and regional economic trends.