Providence metro area unemployment rate drops

BOSTON – The unemployment rate in the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metropolitan area declined in February to 12.1 percent of the labor force from 12.9 percent as seen in the same month a year earlier.

According to nonseasonally adjusted data released on Wednesday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of unemployed workers dropped to 85,700 last month from 91,800 a year earlier.

Nevertheless, when comparing the jobless rate to January, the Providence metro area added 1 percentage point.

Rhode Island’s nonseasonally adjusted jobless rate was 11.8 percent in February, down from 12.6 percent in 2010. On a national level, the rate was 9.5 percent last month, down from 10.4 percent a year earlier.

For Massachusetts’ New Bedford area, the unemployment rate noted declines when compared to both a year earlier as well as a month earlier. In February 2011, the jobless rate was 13.3 percent, compared to 14.1 percent as seen in February 2010 and 13.7 percent in January 2011.

Nationwide, unemployment rates were lower in February than a year earlier in 308 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 52 areas and unchanged in 12 areas.

Fifteen areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent while seven areas registered rates of less than 5.0 percent.

El Centro, Calif., recorded the highest unemployment rate, 26.9 percent, in February; of the 15 areas with rates of at least 15.0 percent, 12 were located in California. Lincoln, Neb., registered the lowest rate at 4.2 percent.