Fewer people looking for work combined with a smaller labor force led to Mercer County's jobless rate easing to 6 percent in March from 6.5 percent in February.

But the local manufacturing sector continued to take a beating as there were 600 fewer people working in factories in March compared to a year ago. The drop doesn't take into account recent announcements of layoffs. Werner Co. has said nearly 500 will lose their jobs when it closes its ladder operation in Sugar Grove Township; Wheatland Tube Co.'s mechanical tube plant in Wheatland will close, at a cost of 115 jobs; and Oxford Automotive will close its Masury plant, leaving 130 without work.

The county's jobless rate was the same as last March and was below the state and national 6.2 percent rates.

The county had the eighth-best jobless rate among the state's 43 labor market areas and tied for 18th place with Butler County among the state's 67 counties.

Figures for March show the county's civilian labor force was 58,600, compared to 58,900 in February; the number of employed remained the same at 55,100. Those unemployed fell to 3,500 from 3,800 over the same period.

Goods-producing jobs were unchanged in March; a gain of 100 jobs in construction was offset by a loss of 100 jobs in natural resources and mining.

Service-producing jobs gained by 300 in March, with the increases coming in education and health services.

Forest County had the highest unemployment rate in the state at 19.5 percent, while Cumberland County had the lowest at 3.5 percent.

Surrounding counties' jobless rates were:

   » Lawrence County, 8 percent.

   » Butler County, 6 percent.

   » Crawford County, 8.6 percent.

   » Venango County, 7.1 percent.

Sharon's jobless rate was 6.1 percent in March, compared to a revised 6.8 percent in February. A rate is kept for Sharon because it's the county's largest city.