Albany

The Capital Region's unemployment rate rose to 4.2 percent in April from 4.0 percent a year earlier, the state Labor Department reported Tuesday. While the rate is down a half percentage point from 4.7 percent in March, it's the second straight year-to-year increase for April.

It's also a half percentage point higher than the nation's 3.7 percent unemployment rate for the month.

Statewide, unemployment was lowest in the New York City metropolitan area and Hudson Valley metros, with Long Island and the Poughkeepsie area both with 4.0 percent rates, New York City at 4.1 percent, and Orange-Rockland-Westchester, Kingston and the Capital Region all at 4.2 percent.

Head west, however, and rates climbed, with Rochester at 4.8 percent, Syracuse at 4.9 percent, Buffalo at 5.1 percent and Utica at 5.3 percent.

While unemployment rates have been rising, so have job numbers. The Capital Region gained 3,100 jobs over the past year, boosting the total to 472,400, a record high for the month.