BLS: Jobless rate falls in Prov. metro in December to 4.9%

PROVIDENCE – Unemployment rates were lower in December than a year ago in 296 out of 387 metropolitan areas in the nation, including in the Providence-Warwick metro, where the rate dropped to 4.9 percent from 6.2 percent, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday.
The Providence metro’s jobless rate was only slightly higher than the national rate of 4.8 percent in December. In December 2014, the national rate also was higher, at 5.4 percent. The rate is not adjusted for seasonality, the BLS said.

Ames, Iowa, had the lowest unemployment rate in December, at 2.2 percent, while El Centro, Calif., had the highest unemployment rate at 19.6 percent.

Jobless rates were higher in December in 79 areas and unchanged in 12 areas, the BLS said.

The Providence metro’s civilian labor force totaled 681,00 in December compared with 675,900 a year ago. In addition, the number of unemployed fell to 33,600 from 41,800 a year earlier, the federal agency said.

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Nonfarm payroll employment also increased over the year in 280 metropolitan areas, decreased in 94 areas, and was unchanged in 13 areas. The Providence metro was one of the areas that had an increase, at 2.1 percent, to 585,000 in December from 573,100 a year ago.

The largest over-the-year employment increase occurred in New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa., at 156,400. The largest over-the-year percentage gain in employment occurred in Idaho Falls, Idaho, at 4.5 percent.

The largest over-the-year decrease in employment occurred in Lafayette, La. , which had a 5,500 drop.
The largest over-the-year percentage decrease in employment was in Pine Bluff, Ark., with 7 percent, the BLS said.

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