Crawford County’s seasonal unemployment rate has jumped to its highest level in more than 20 years — with manufacturing jobs taking a big hit.

The county’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 10.4 percent for May — it’s highest level since September 1986 when it was 10.4 percent — according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. It’s up from 9.5 percent in April and almost double the May 2008 seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 5.3 percent.

The number of manufacturing jobs in May fell to 7,000, down from 7,200 in April, and from 8,000 in May 2008.

“We’ve seen a slow-down,” said Tim Mullen, vice president of Starn Tool & Manufacturing of Meadville. “We’ve not lost customers, but they’re just downsizing the amount of work we get.”

Mullen said the 50-employee company hasn’t had to lay anyone off, “but we’ve reduced hours.”

Crawford County is more heavily dependent on manufacturing than other areas of the country. More than 20 percent of the jobs in the county are related to manufacturing, compared to about 12 percent for the state and 11 percent nationally.

Most of the local manufacturing jobs are tied to the tooling and machining industry. While they don’t make the end-products themselves, the firms supply tools, equipment and parts to major manufacturers.

The seasonal unemployment rate jumped because of the 200-job loss in manufacturing and 200-job loss in education-related jobs as local schools and colleges shut down for the academic year, said Lauren Nimal, a state labor analyst who covers Crawford County.

Crawford County’s seasonally adjusted total labor force was 43,600 in May with 39,100 employed and 4,500 unemployed. In April, the total labor force was 43,300, with 39,200 employed and 4,100 unemployed.

The county’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 10.4 percent for May is higher than the 8.2 percent for Pennsylvania and 9.4 percent nationally for May.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rates in other counties in northwestern Pennsylvania all rose in May.

The rates, listed for May, then April, were: Erie, 9.3, 8.4; Mercer, 11.4, 10.8; Venango, 9.1, 8.5; and Warren, 7.8, 7.7.

Keith Gushard can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.