Labor Surplus Areas

What You Need to Know

October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023

Under Executive Orders 12073 and 10582, the U.S. Secretary of Labor is required to annually designate Labor Surplus Areas (LSAs) and disseminate this information for the use of all federal agencies in directing procurement activities and in locating new plants or facilities. The LSAs are designated to help direct federal procurement dollars to areas where unemployment is highest -- employers located in LSAs can be given preference in bidding on federal procurement contracts. LSA designations are also used in determining Food Stamp waivers under welfare reform legislation. A LSA is defined as an area with an unemployment rate at least 20% above the national rate (including Puerto Rico) during the previous two calendar years.

In periods of low unemployment, when the national average rate (including Puerto Rico) for the previous two calendar years is 5.0 percent or less, a floor of 6.0 percent is used in order for an area to qualify as a labor surplus area.

In periods of high unemployment, when the national average rate (including Puerto Rico) for the previous two calendar years is 8.3 percent or higher, a ceiling of 10.0 percent is used in order for an area to qualify as a labor surplus area.

The reference period used in preparing the current list was January 2020 through December 2021. The national average unemployment rate (including Puerto Rico) during this period was 6.7 percent. As a result, a minimum rate of 8.0 percent was used to determine eligibility for the Fiscal Year 2022 LSA classifications.

The listing includes all civil jurisdictions with a 2020-2021 average unemployment rate of 8.0 percent or higher: cities and towns with a population of 25,000 or more, county balances (counties excluding cities and towns with a population of 25,000 or more), and individual counties with no civil jurisdiction of at least 25,000 population.

Eligible Labor Surplus Areas

October 1, 2022 - September 30, 2023
Eligible Labor Surplus Areas Civil Jurisdictions Included

Binghamton City

Broome County

Bronx County

Bronx County

Buffalo City

Erie County

Elmira City

Chemung County

Freeport Village

Nassau County

Haverstraw Town

Rockland County

Hempstead Village

Nassau County

Jamestown City

Chautauqua County

Kings County

Kings County

Lockport City

Niagara County

Monroe Town

Orange County

Mount Vernon City

Westchester County

New York City

New York City

New York County New York County
New York State New York State

Newburgh City

Orange County

Niagara Falls City

Niagara County

Poughkeepsie City

Dutchess County

Queens County

Queens County

Richmond County

Richmond County

Rochester City

Monroe County

Schenectady City

Schenectady County

Syracuse City

Onondaga County

Utica City

Oneida County

Yonkers City

Westchester County

Contact Us

For additional information, contact:

Bureau of Labor Market Information
New York State Department of Labor
State Campus - Building 12, Room 490
Albany, NY 12226
Telephone: (518) 457-3800

Email: [email protected]