Unemployment Rate Remains Steady in New England

BOSTON — The New England Information Office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released New England and state unemployment numbers for July. These data are supplied by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program, which produces monthly and annual employment, unemployment, and labor-force data for Census regions and divisions, states, counties, metropolitan areas, and many cities. Among the highlights of the release:

• The New England unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 4.7% in July. One year ago, the New England jobless rate was higher, at 5.8%. The New England unemployment rate was lower than the national rate of 5.3%.

• Three New England states posted jobless rates that were significantly different from the U.S. rate of 5.3%: Vermont (3.6%), New Hampshire (3.7%), and Maine (4.6%).

• Over the last year, five New England states recorded statistically significant unemployment-rate decreases, with declines ranging from 1.8% in Rhode Island to 0.5% in Vermont. In fact, Rhode Island had the largest jobless rate decline nationwide.