Worcester Jobless Rate Plunges
Unemployment in the Worcester area fell by six tenths of one percent in February, with the addition of more than 2,000 jobs over the previous month, according to data released today by the Patrick administration.
The unemployment rate for the Greater Worcester area fell to 7.3 percent. Rates were down throughout Central Massachusetts. The Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner area, which gained more than 500 jobs, saw its jobless rate fall from 9.7 percent in January to 9.1 percent last month. Meanwhile, unemployment in the Framingham area fell from 5.8 percent to 5.3 percent, with a gain of more than 750 jobs.
Statewide, the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate for February was 6.8 percent, down 0.6 of a percentage point from January, and half of a percentage point below the 7.3 percent rate posted for February 2012.
Last week, federal and state statistics revealed that employment levels in the Bay State exceeded those of April 2008, before the commonwealth began to lose jobs in the Great Recession. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, there were 3,318,500 jobs in Massachusetts in January, compared to 3,304,300 in April 2008.
The January revisions showed that 18,900 jobs were created in that month, compared to an initially estimated 16,100. For February, initial estimates showed 500 jobs were created, with five of the state's 10 economic sectors adding jobs. So far this year, the state has had a net gain of 57,600 jobs.
The largest gains in February came from the professional, scientific and business services sector which added 3,200 jobs. Next was construction, which saw the addition of 1,400 jobs, followed by other services, which was up by 900 jobs. Financial activities gained 700 positions during the month.
The sectors with the biggest losses were education and health services (3,600), leisure and hospitality (2,400) and manufacturing (1,700).
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