Providence, New Bedford jobless rates<br> dip in March

UNADJUSTED metro-area  unemployment rates across the Northeast in March 2007.  /
UNADJUSTED metro-area unemployment rates across the Northeast in March 2007. /

WASHINGTON – Unemployment rates were lower in March than a year earlier in 252 of 369 major metropolitan areas nationwide, higher in 82 and unchanged in 35, according to a report today from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The national unemployment rate in March was 4.5 percent before seasonal adjustment, the BLS said, compared with the March 2006 level of 4.8 percent.

In the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metro area, the unemployment rate declined to 5.2 percent from February’s 5.7 percent and March 2006’s 6.1 percent. The area’s civilian labor force (based on place of residence) shrank to 708,700 local workers from February’s 711,600 but remained above the year-ago 707,800. The number of payroll jobs (based on work place) increased to 575,600 jobs from February’s 573,500 and the year-ago 573,100 local jobs.

In the New Bedford metro area, the unemployment rate declined to 7.3 percent from February’s 9.2 percent and March 2006’s 7.8 percent. The area’s civilian labor force (based on place of residence) shrank to 85,700 workers from February’s 86,400 but remained above the year-ago 85,400. The number of payroll jobs in the region (based on work place) increased to 67,600 jobs from February’s 66,900 and the year-ago 66,300 local jobs.

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The Rhode Island unemployment rate declined to 4.6 percent from February’s 5.1 percent and March 2006’s 5.7 percent. The area’s civilian labor force (based on place of residence) shrank to 573,000 workers from February’s 576,100 but remained above the year-ago 571,600. The number of payroll jobs in the state (based on work place) increased to 488,100 Ocean State jobs from February’s 485,500 and the year-ago 482,900 local jobs.

The Massachusetts unemployment rate declined to 4.8 percent from February’s 5.8 percent and March 2006’s 5.2 percent. The area’s civilian labor force (based on place of residence) shrank to 3.386 million workers from February’s 3.394 million but remained above the year-ago 3.374 million. The number of payroll jobs in the commonwealth (based on work place) increased to 3.227 million jobs from February’s 3.209 million and the year-ago 3.189 million Bay State jobs.

Additional information, including the 21-page Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment report, is available at www.bls.gov.

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