Unemployment Falls Across State in February
BOSTON — Local unemployment rates decreased in 23 labor-market areas and remained unchanged in one labor-market area in the state during the month of February, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported. Compared to February 2018, the rates dropped in 24 labor market areas.
Eight of the 15 areas for which job estimates are published reported seasonal job gains in February. The largest gains occurred in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Springfield, Worcester, Peabody-Salem-Beverly, and Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton areas. Jobs in the Framingham area remained unchanged over the month.
From February 2018 to February 2019, eight of the 15 areas added jobs, with the largest percentage gains in the Leominster-Gardner, Springfield, New Bedford, and Barnstable 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 3.2%.
Last week, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the month of February is down one-tenth of a percentage point at 3.0%.
The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 6,600-job gain in February, and an over-the-year gain of 20,300 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.
