BOSTON – The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development today reported that the August 2012 seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates were down in seventeen areas; unchanged in three areas; and up in two areas over the month. Over the year, the rates are down in all twenty two labor areas.
Statewide, the August seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate was 6.4 percent, down 0.2 of a percentage point from 6.6 percent recorded in July. Over the year, the statewide unadjusted rate was down 0.8 of a percentage point from the August 2011 unadjusted rate of 7.2 percent.
In August 2012, over the month job gains occurred in two of the twelve areas for which estimates are published. The largest gain occurred in the Worcester area followed by the Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton area. The Peabody area had no change in the employment level over the month. The remaining eight areas recorded a loss.
Over the year, eight of the twelve areas added jobs with the largest percentage gains in the Peabody, Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, and Barnstable areas.
The seasonally adjusted statewide August unemployment rate, released on September 20th, was 6.3 percent, an increase of 0.2 of a percentage point over the July 6.1 percent, and down 1.1 percentage points from the 7.4 percent rate recorded in August 2011. The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 4,800 job loss over the month.
The labor force, unemployment rates and jobs estimates, for Massachusetts and for every other state, are based on statistical methodologies specified by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The unadjusted unemployment rates and job estimates for the labor market areas reflect seasonal fluctuations and therefore may show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.
