Unemployment Rates Dropped In Massachusetts

Donna Motta May 24, 2016 Comments Off on Unemployment Rates Dropped In Massachusetts

According to the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, local unemployment rates dropped in all labor market areas in the state during the month of April.

All fifteen areas added jobs over the month, with the largest gains in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Springfield, Barnstable, Worcester and Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford areas.

Compared to April 2015, the rates were down in all areas. From April 2015 to April 2016, fourteen areas added jobs with the largest percentage gains in the Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury, Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, and Barnstable areas.  The Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead area jobs level remained unchanged.

In order to compare the statewide rate to local unemployment rates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the statewide unadjusted unemployment rate for April is 3.9 percent, down 0.7 of a percentage point from the March rate.

Last week, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 4.2 percent for the month of April.  The unemployment rate is down 0.8 percent over the year.

The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 13,900 job gain in April and an over-the-year gain of 73,500 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.

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