BOSTON – The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development today reported that according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates for March 2013 were down in eight areas; up in seven areas; and unchanged in seven areas over the month. Over the year, the rates were down in fourteen areas; up in five areas; and unchanged in three areas.
Statewide, the seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged over the month at 6.8 percent and 11,300 jobs were added in March. Over the year, the statewide unadjusted rate edged down by 0.1 of a percentage point from the 6.9 percent rate posted for March 2012 and Massachusetts added 32,400 jobs.
In March 2013, over the month job gains occurred in eleven of the twelve areas, the largest of which were in Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Worcester; Barnstable; Springfield; and Framingham areas. The Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner was the only area to record a job loss.
Over the year, eight of the twelve areas added jobs with the largest percentage gains in the Barnstable, Haverhill-North Andover-Amesbury*, and Peabody areas.
The seasonally adjusted statewide March unemployment rate, released on April 18, was 6.4 percent, down 0.1 of a percentage point over the month and down 0.2 of a percentage point from the 6.6 percent rate recorded in March 2012. The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 5,500 job loss in March following a loss of 800 jobs in February.
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.
