WASHINGTON – Unemployment rates were lower in February than a year earlier in 249 of 369 major metropolitan areas nationwide, higher in 94 and unchanged in 26, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said today in its monthly report.
Nationwide, the February unemployment rate was 4.9 percent before seasonal adjustment.
In the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metro area, the unemployment rate declined to 5.7 percent from January’s 6.1 percent and February 2006’s 6.3 percent. The area’s civilian labor force (based on place of residence) fell to 711,600 from January’s 714,900 workers, but remained above the year-ago 706,400. Payroll employment (the number of jobs in the area) increased to 573,300 from January’s 571,300, and was 0.8 percent higher than the area’s year-ago payroll of 568,500.
In the New Bedford metro area, the jobless rate declined to 9.2 percent in February from January’s 9.4 percent, but remained well above the year-ago 8.3 percent. The area’s civilian labor force increased to 86,400 workers from January’s 86,300 and February 2006’s 85,200. Payroll employment grew to 66,800 jobs from January’s 66,000 and was 1.7 percent greater than the area’s February 2006 payroll of 65,700.
In Rhode Island, the jobless rate declined to 5.1 percent from January’s 5.5 percent and February 2006’s 6.0 percent. The state’s civilian labor force shrank to 576,100 workers from January’s 578,900, but remained larger than February 2006’s 571,900. Payroll employment increased to 485,200 jobs from January’s 482,600, and was 1.4 percent above the state’s year-ago payroll of 478,500
In Massachusetts, the jobless rate declined to 5.8 percent from January’s 6.0 percent, but remained above February 2006’s 5.4 percent. The state’s civilian labor force declined to 3.39 million workers from January’s 3.41 million but remained slightly larger than February 2006’s pool of 3.37 million workers. Payroll employment grew to 3.21 million jobs from the previous month’s 3.20 million; it was 1.2 percent greater than the state’s year-ago 3.17 million payroll jobs.
Additional information, including the full 22-page Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment report, is available at www.bls.gov.
