The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics Wednesday released its breakdown of November employment and unemployment rates in 367 metropolitan areas nationwide. Unemployment rates were lower in November than a year earlier in 279 of those areas, higher in 54 and unchanged in 34, the BLS said.
Nationwide, the unadjusted unemployment rate in November was 4.3 percent, down from 4.8 percent a year earlier. The Providence-Fall River-Warwick and New Bedford metropolitan areas were among the 195 areas where the jobless rate was higher than the nationwide average, while Norwich-New London was among the 160 areas that beat the national rate of 4.3 percent. (The other 12 metro areas tied the national jobless rate in November.)
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Year-over-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment were seen in 301 metropolitan areas, the BLS said, while the number of payroll jobs decreased in 60 metro regions and was unchanged in the other six. Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut all showed year-over-year employment gains, but the nearby metro areas were divided; payroll was higher in November than a year earlier in Providence-Fall-River-Warwick, unchanged in New Bedford and lower than a year earlier in Norwich-New London.
In the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metro area, the jobless rate was 4.7 percent, up from 4.5 percent in October and 4.6 percent in November 2005. The area’s civilian labor force (based on place of residence) was 715,400 workers, up from 711,400 in October and 711,200 in November 2005. The metro area’s total non-farm civilian employment (based on workplace) was 594,800, edging up from October’s 593,600 and November 2005’s 592,800 jobs, for a year-over-year gain of 2,000 jobs or 0.3 percent.
In the New Bedford metro area, the jobless rate was 6.0 percent, up from October’s 5.5 percent and November 2005’s 5.9 percent. The area’s civilian labor force was 3.3949 million workers, up from October’s 2.2763 million and November 2005’s 3.3715 million. The metro area’s total non-farm civilian employment was 64,200 jobs, edging up from October’s 65,000 but dead even with the metro area’s reported number of payroll jobs in November 2005.
In the Norwich-New London metro area, the jobless rate was 3.9 percent, up from October’s 3.5 percent but down from November 2005’s 4.4 percent. The area’s civilian labor force was 150,000 workers, up from October’s 149,900 and November 2005’s 148,200. The metro area’s total non-farm civilian payroll was 134,900 jobs, edging down from October’s 135,500 jobs and November 2005’s 135,900, for a year-over-year loss of 1,000 jobs or 0.7 percent.
In Rhode Island, the jobless rate was 4.6 percent, up from October’s 4.4 percent and November 2005’s 4.5 percent. The state’s civilian labor force was 580,100 workers, up from October’s 577,200 and November 2005’s 576,700. The state’s total non-farm civilian employment was 500,300, edging up from October’s 499,700 jobs and November 2005’s 499,900, for a year-over-year gain of 400 jobs or 0.1 percent.
In Massachusetts, the jobless rate was percent, up from October’s percent and November 2005’s percent. The state’s civilian labor force was workers, up from October’s and November 2005’s. The state’s total non-farm civilian payroll was 3.2555 million, edging up from October’s 3.2529 million jobs and November 2005’s 3.2341 million, for a year-over-year gain of 21,400 jobs or 0.7 percent.
In Connecticut, the statewide jobless rate was 4.1 percent, up from October’s 3.8 percent bud down from November 2005’s 4.6 percent. The state’s civilian labor force was 1.8652 million workers, up from October’s 1.8534 million and November 2005’s 1.8204 million. . The state’s total non-farm civilian employment was 1.6954 million, edging up from October’s 1.6871 million jobs and November 2005’s 1.6851 million, for a year-over-year gain of 10,200 jobs or 0.6 percent.
Additional information, including the full text of the BLS report “Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment: November 2006,”is available at www.bls.gov.
