The New York State Department of Labor estimates that jobs in the Binghamton area have decreased during the past year. A report showed a decline in the total number of non-farm jobs from last February to this past February. The total non-farm jobs number decreased from 105,700 to 104,300, with private jobs also sinking from 81,300 to 80,800. Across the state, the private sector grew by almost 13,000, and state unemployment remained around 6.8 percent, a five-year low. Experts hope that potential contracts being awarded to Lockheed Martin will help the area with its unemployment numbers, not only for Lockheed, but retail jobs as well.
