Providence metro area jobless rate drops

By PBN Staff

WASHINGTON – The Providence metropolitan area’s jobless rate dropped to 10.2 percent in November, according to preliminary, not seasonally adjusted data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In November a year earlier, unemployment was 11 percent for the Providence-Fall River-Warwick area.

However, when compared with a month earlier, November's 10.2 percent was slightly higher than the 10.1 percent seen in October.

Rhode Island’s unemployment rate was 10.4 percent in November, also down from 11 percent a year earlier but up from a month earlier, when it was 10.2 percent.

In the New Bedford metropolitan area, the November unemployment rate was 9.5 percent – a sharp decline from the 11.4 percent seen a year earlier. In October 2011, New Bedford’s rate stood at 9.9 percent.

Massachusetts registered a 6.4 percent unemployment rate, down from 8.1 percent a year earlier.

Across the U.S., unemployment rates were lower in November in 351 of 372 metropolitan areas compared to a year earlier; higher in 16 areas; and unchanged in five areas, the BLS said.

Eight areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15 percent, while 25 areas registered rates of less than 5 percent.