Most of the service sector jobs were located in hospitals and health related institutions. Retail trade, which represents the second largest industry in East Harlem, dropped slightly from 12.6 percent in 1980 to 11. 7 percent in 1990. In 1990, the manufacturing establishments employed 11. 3 percent of East Harlem residents.
Greater differences are evident in the number of residents employed in the public sector.
East Harlem leads with 24 percent, compared to 12 percent for Manhattan and 18 percent for New York City. The labor force participation rate' for East Harlem is 47.8 percent, compared to 66.3 percent for Manhattan and 61.7 percent for New York City. These rates represent increases for all three classifications since 1980, especially for females whose labor force participation rate has been steadily increasing over the past two decades. The unemployment rate' for the district is 16 percent, twice the rate of Manhattan's 8 percent. The 1990 rate for this district rose 4 percentage points from 12 percent in 1980.