Unemployment hit the Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner area harder than nearly any other area in the state in January, according to the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
Combined, the unemployment rate in the three northern Worcester County towns increased to 10.3 percent in January from 8.5 percent in December and from 6.6 percent in January 2008.
The Worcester area saw its unemployment rate increase to 8.3 percent in January from 6.8 percent in December and 5.5 percent in January 2008.
The Framingham area’s unemployment rate increased to 6.3 percent in January from 5.3 percent in December and 4 percent in January 2008.
