WASHINGTON – Unemployment rates were lower last month than a year earlier in 212 of 369 major metropolitan areas nationwide, higher in 134 and unchanged in 23, according to a report today from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The national unemployment rate in May was 4.3 percent before seasonal adjustment, the BLS noted, the same as in April.
In the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metro area, the unemployment rate declined to 4.8 percent from April’s 5.0 percent and May 2006’s 5.2 percent. The area’s civilian labor force (based on place of residence) grew to 708,200 local workers from 706,500 in April and 707,500 in May 2006. The number of payroll jobs (based on work place) increased to 591,300 from April’s 585,100 local jobs, to 0.3 percent above May 2006’s 589,700 jobs.
In the New Bedford metro area, the unemployment rate rose to 6.3 percent last month from the 6.1 percent of the previous month and May 2006. But the area’s civilian labor force (based on place of residence) grew to 85,600 workers from 84,900 in April 2007 and May 2006. The number of payroll jobs in the region (based on work place) increased to 69,000 local jobs from April’s 68,500, to 1.6 percent above the year-ago 67,900 jobs.
The Rhode Island unemployment rate declined to 4.5 percent from the 4.6 percent of the previous two months and the May 2006 rate of 5.0 percent. The area’s civilian labor force (based on place of residence) grew to 574,100 workers from 572,300 in April and 572,600 in May 2006. The number of payroll jobs in the state (based on work place) increased to 503,000 jobs from April’s 496,600, to 1.1 percent above the year-ago 497,400 local jobs.
The Massachusetts unemployment rate increased to 4.9 percent from April’s 4.4 percent and May 2006’s 4.7 percent. The commonwealth’s civilian labor force (based on place of residence) grew to 3.404 million workers from April’s 3.370 million the year-ago 3.383 million. The number of payroll jobs (based on work place) increased to 3.290 million from April’s 3.266 million jobs and was 1.0 percent above May 2006’s 3.256 million Bay State jobs.
Additional information, including the 21-page Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment report, is available from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics at www.bls.gov.
