Job growth in state lags rest of nation.(Business)

Byline: JAY GALLAGHER Gannett News Service

ALBANY - New York's economy continues to improve, but its job growth lags the rest of the country, according to a new report from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

The report, released Tuesday, showed that the New York economy continues to be a tale of two states.

While Long Island, New York City and the Hudson Valley continue to thrive, persistent pockets of anemic growth - and even job losses - remained upstate.

Partly as a result, the gap in average home prices in different regions of the state continues to widen - from an average of $74,500 in the Elmira area of the Southern Tier to more than …