New Bedford’s job growth second in state

NEW BEDFORD — This city’s economic development council says statewide employment data released for December shows New Bedford second in job growth in the state, well ahead of the statewide average and Boston. Unemployment was at 5.5 percent, a full percent below what it was for December 1999. Job growth, the council said, was 2.3 percent. The statewide average was 1.7 percent and Boston was 2 percent.