Massachusetts Employment Picture Shows Scattered Gains
BOSTON — Local unemployment rates decreased in four labor market areas, increased in nine areas, and remained the same in 11 labor-market areas in the state during the month of November, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported. Compared to November 2016, the rates were up in 24 labor-market areas.
Eight of the 15 areas for which job estimates are published recorded seasonal job gains in November. The gains occurred in the Springfield, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Worcester, Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, New Bedford, Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, and Framingham areas.
From November 2016 to November 2017, all 15 areas added jobs, with the largest percentage gains in the Barnstable, New Bedford, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury, Springfield, and Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead areas.
In order to compare the statewide rate to local unemployment rates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the statewide-unadjusted unemployment rate for November was 3.3%.
Last week, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 3.6% in the month of November. The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 6,700-job gain in November, and an over-the-year gain of 65,200 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.
