The unemployment rate in Fall River fell in July to a rate of 20.7%, down from the June rate of 23.2%.
The Massachusetts Office of Labor and Workforce Development reports that the labor force in Fall River in July totaled 42,449 employees. 8,789 people were recorded as being unemployed. The 20.7% unemployment rate for July compares to a 5.0% unemployment rate for July of 2019.
Towns surrounding Fall River also saw a drop in their unemployment rates: Somerset, 15.6% (18.0% in June), Swansea 13.2% (15.5% in June), Westport, 15.2% (17.9% in June) and Freetown, 14.8% (16.3% in June).
Gateway Cities across Massachusetts also saw a drop in unemployment for July. New Bedford recorded a rate of 22.1% (24.4% rate for June). Taunton fell to 19.9% in July (21.7% in June). Brockton dropped to 24% (25.7% in June). Lowell fell to 19% (20.9%% in June). Lawrence recorded a rate of 30.9% (33.1% in June).
Here is more information from the state Office of Labor and Workforce Development on the local numbers:
BOSTON, MA August 25, 2020 — Local unemployment rates decreased in twenty-four labor market areas in the state during the month of July, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported.
Compared to July 2019, the rates were up in twenty-four labor market areas.
Fourteen of the fifteen areas for which job estimates are published recorded job gains in July. The largest gains occurred in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Barnstable, Worcester, Framingham, Peabody-Salem-Beverly, Springfield, and Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury areas.
From July 2019 to July 2020, all fifteen areas lost jobs with the largest percentage losses in the Barnstable, Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, Pittsfield, Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury, and Springfield areas.
In order to compare the statewide rate to local unemployment rates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the statewide-unadjusted unemployment rate for July was 16.2 percent.
Last week, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the month of July was 16.1 percent, 1.6 percentage points below the revised June rate of 17.7 percent.
The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 72,100 job gain in July, and an over-the-year loss of 452,600 jobs.
The unadjusted unemployment rates and job estimates for the labor market areas reflect seasonal fluctuations and therefore may show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.
The estimates for labor force, unemployment rates and jobs for Massachusetts are based on different statistical methodology specified by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
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