Fall River Unemployment Rate Rose Slightly in February

Keith Thibault March 30, 2021 Comments Off on Fall River Unemployment Rate Rose Slightly in February

The unemployment rate in the city of Fall River in February is 11.9% up from 11.8% in January.

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reports that the labor force in Fall River in February totaled 41,172 employees. 4,884 people were recorded as being unemployed. The 11.9% unemployment rate for February compares to a 6.5% unemployment rate for February of 2020.

Towns surrounding Fall River saw mixed changes to their unemployment rates:

  • Somerset, 7.5% (7.4% in January)
  • Swansea, 7.3% (7.4% in January)
  • Westport, 9.1% (8.7% in January)
  • Freetown, 7.5% (7.2% in January)

Gateway Cities across Massachusetts also saw mixed results in their jobless rates in February.

  • New Bedford, 11.1% (11.2% in January)
  • Taunton, 8.8% (8.9% in January)
  • Brockton, 10.8% (10.7% in January)
  • Lowell, 9.0% (8.9% in January)
  • Lawrence, 15.4% (15.5% in January)

The state unemployment rate for February is 7.2%. Here is more information from the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development on the local numbers:

Latest Seasonally Unadjusted Unemployment and Job Estimates for Local Labor Markets in Massachusetts

BOSTON, MA March 30, 2021 — Local unemployment rates dropped in twenty-one labor market areas, remained unchanged in one area, and increased in two labor market areas , in the state during the month of February, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported.

Compared to February 2020, the rates were up in twenty-four labor market areas.

Only one area for which job estimates are published recorded job losses in February. Four areas recorded no change in jobs, and ten reported increases. The largest percentage increases occurred in Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem and Leominster-Gardner, with Framingham the only area to record a job loss.

From February 2020 to February 2021, all fifteen areas lost jobs with the largest percentage losses in the Peabody-Salem-Beverly, Springfield, and Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton areas.

In order to compare the statewide rate to local unemployment rates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the statewide-unadjusted unemployment rate for February was 7.2 percent.

Last week, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the month of February was 7.1 percent, down 0.7 percentage points from the January rate.

The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed an increase of 14,100 jobs in February and an over-the-year loss of 325,100 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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