New England jobless rate falls year over year in May

THE NEW England unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in May, a 1.1 percentage point drop from May 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national jobless rate was 5.5 percent in May. / COURTESY U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
THE NEW England unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in May, a 1.1 percentage point drop from May 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national jobless rate was 5.5 percent in May. / COURTESY U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

(Updated 12:20 p.m.) PROVIDENCE – The New England unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in May, a 1.1 percentage point drop from May 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
New England’s May jobless rate was lower than the national jobless rate of 5.5 percent.
Four New England states posted jobless rates that were significantly different from the U.S. rate: Vermont, which was the lowest at 3.6 percent; New Hampshire, 3.8 percent; Massachusetts, 4.6 percent; and Maine, 4.7 percent.

In addition, over the last year, five New England states recorded statistically significant unemployment rate decreases.

Declines ranged from 2 percentage points in Rhode Island to a 0.4 percentage point drop in Vermont.

Rhode Island had the largest jobless rate decline nationwide, the agency said. Rhode Island’s unemployment rate, at 5.9 percent, was second-highest among the New England states in May, behind only Connecticut, which reported a 6 percent rate.

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In March, Connecticut took over the highest jobless rate spot from Rhode Island among the New England states.

New England’s civilian labor force numbered 7.9 million in May compared with 7.8 million in May 2014. Of that number, 7.5 million were employed in May, while 388,400 were unemployed. That compares with 7.3 million employed in May 2014 and 464,800 who were unemployed.

New England is one of nine geographic divisions nationwide. The Pacific had the highest jobless rate in May at 6.1 percent, while the West North Central division had the lowest jobless rate at 4.3 percent.

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