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October 19, 2017

Mass. adds 9,300 jobs in September

Grant Welker Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Rosalin Acosta, left, at a tour of the Tufts at Tech animal care center at Worcester.

Massachusetts added 9,300 jobs in September, driving the unemployment rate back below 4 percent, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Thursday. 

The state's unemployment rate now stands at 3.9 percent, down from 4.2 percent in August and below the national rate of 4.2 percent reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. State officials also revised August's job report from a gain of 10,800 jobs to a gain of 8,000.

"The unemployment rate remains low and Massachusetts has continued to add jobs in key economic sectors throughout 2017. These two measures are indicators of the strength of the Commonwealth's economy," Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta said in a statement. "By addressing skills gaps and talent shortages we'll help to ensure that all in the Commonwealth have access to high demand jobs."

The Massachusetts labor force decreased by 10,800 in August, as 900 more residents were employed and 11,700 fewer residents were unemployed over the month. The labor force now stands at 3,669,700, with 3,527,200 people employed and 142,500 unemployed but actively seeking work, according to state officials. 

In September, the private sector added 8,600 jobs primarily in the education and health services; construction; leisure and hospitality; trade, transportation, and utilities; and manufacturing sectors.

Between August 2016 and September 2017, Massachusetts has added 62,300 jobs, though the unemployment rate has increased from 3.4 percent in August 2016. The jobs numbers and jobless rate are calculated based on different surveys. 

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