Daily News

Unemployment Continues to Decrease in Most Areas of State

BOSTON — Local unemployment rates decreased in 18 labor-market areas, increased in four, and remained the same in two areas in the state during the month of November, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported. Compared to November 2015, the rates were down in all areas.

Six of the 15 areas for which job estimates are published recorded seasonal job gains in November, with the largest gains in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton and Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton areas.

The Springfield, Worcester, Lawrence-Methuen-Salem, and Pittsfield areas had no change in job levels over the month, while seasonal losses occurred in the Barnstable, Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury, Framingham, New Bedford, and Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead areas.

From November 2015 to November 2016, 14 of the 15 areas added jobs, with the largest percentage gains in the Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury, Taunton-Middleborough-Norton, Worcester, and Barnstable areas.

In order to compare the statewide rate to local unemployment rates, the Bureau of Labor

Last week, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 2.9% in the month of November.  Across the nation, Massachusetts experienced the largest over-the-year drop in the unemployment rate of any state, down 2.0% from November 2015, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 5,800-job gain in November, and an over-the-year gain of 70,100 jobs.