Mass. jobs grow, so does jobless rate
Even as unemployment inched up by a tenth of a percent, the state added 13,800 jobs in July, the Patrick administration said Thursday.
The commonwealth’s unemployment rate edged up from 5.5 percent in June to 5.6 percent in July, but still the lowest since August 2008 and below the national unemployment rate of 6.2 percent, a report from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development said.
The upturn in jobs was spread among a wide swath of industries, led by 5,000 new positions in professional, scientific and business services.
The education and health sector, one of the largest employment bases in Central Massachusetts, gained 3,800 jobs for the month, up one-half of 1 percent. For the year, more than 20,000 jobs have been added statewide in health and education.
Also of note, manufacturing added 500 jobs, rebounding from a loss of 1,100 jobs in June. But the state lost a net 600 manufacturing jobs during the first half of the year.
Since July 2013, Massachusetts has added a net of 67,300 jobs; with 66,400 in the private sector. The total unemployment rate for the year is down 1.6 percent from 7.2 percent in July 2013.
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