BOSTON – The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development today reported that the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ preliminary September 2012 estimates show that Massachusetts added 5,100 jobs over the month, for a total of 3,249,600 jobs. The September job gain follows a revised loss of 3,500 jobs in August.
The total unemployment rate inched up from 6.3 percent in August to 6.5 percent in September. The unemployment rate is down 0.7 of a percentage point from the September 2011 rate of 7.2 percent. The three-month average seasonally adjusted total unemployment rate was 6.3 percent and the six-month average was 6.2 percent.
Year to date jobs are up 37,800 with private sector jobs up 37,300. Professional, Scientific, and Business Services and Trade, Transportation and Utilities had the largest gains.
Over the year, September 2011 to September 2012, jobs are up 44,600. Private sector jobs are up 46,400, for a growth rate of 1.7 percent with gains in eight of the ten sectors.
Employment Overview
Leisure and Hospitality added 6,200 (+2.0%) jobs over the month as both components recorded a gain. Over the year, Leisure and Hospitality has gained 7,200 (+2.4%) jobs.
Professional, Scientific, and Business Services gained 3,400 (+0.7%) jobs over the month. Over the year, the sector added 26,500 (+5.6%) jobs due to growth in all three components.
Construction added 2,200 (+2.2%) jobs over the month. Over the year, jobs are down 2,600 (-2.4%).
Financial Activities added 1,100 (+0.5%) jobs with gains in both components. Over the year, the sector has gained 500 (+0.2%) jobs.
Other Services gained 700 (+0.6%) jobs over the month. Over the year, the sector added 100 (+0.1%) jobs.
Mining and Logging employment remained unchanged both over the month and over the year.
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities shed 3,400 (-0.6%) jobs. Year to date, the sector has added 6,600 (+1.2%) jobs. Over the year, 10,100 (+1.8%) jobs were added with most of the growth in Retail Trade which gained 5,400 (+1.6%) jobs.
Information lost 2,000 (-2.3%) jobs over the month. Year to date, this sector added 2,800 jobs (+3.4%). Over the year, the sector added 1,600 (+1.9%) jobs.
Education and Health Services lost 1,500 (-0.2%) jobs in September. Educational Services lost 2,400 (-1.5%) jobs and Health Care and Social Assistance added 900 (+0.2%) jobs. Over the year, Education and Health Services gained 2,100 (+0.3%) jobs.
Manufacturing lost 700 (-0.3%) jobs over the month as the loss in Durable Goods offset the gain in Non-Durable Goods. Over the year Manufacturing has added 900 (+0.4%) jobs.
Government lost 900 (-0.2%) jobs over the month. State Government posted a 1,100 (-0.9%) jobs loss over the month while Federal government was down 200 (-0.4%) jobs. Local Government added 400 (+0.2%) jobs. Over the year, Government lost 1,800 (-0.4%) jobs.
Labor Force Overview
The September 2012 estimates show 3,236,100 Massachusetts residents were employed and 225,400 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,461,400. Over the year, 33,900 more residents are employed and 24,500 fewer residents are unemployed. Since the unemployment rate peaked at 8.7 percent in October 2009, there are 75,600 more residents employed and 75,600 fewer residents unemployed. Totals may not sum exactly due to rounding.
The unemployment rate is based on a monthly sample of households. The job estimates are derived from a monthly sample survey of employers. As a result, the two statistics exhibit different trends for September.
