Mass. unemployment falls to 3.3%

The state’s unemployment rate dropped one-tenth of a percentage to 3.3 percent in December, as 5,600 jobs were added.

That unemployment rate was six-tenths of a percentage point lower than the country’s rate of 3.9 percent, according to the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

For the year, the state added 65,800 jobs and 184,700 residents to the workforce. That’s good for the largest yearly increase since 1976, according to Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Rosalin Acosta. 

By volume, the professional scientific and business services sector added 3,700 jobs for a 0.6 percent increase over the month. For the year, the industry is up 5.4 percent with 30,700 jobs added. 

Education and Health Services added 700 jobs in December and 15,600 for the year, increases of 0.1 and 2 percent, respectively. 

The manufacturing sector added 400 jobs in December and 1,200 for the year. Those are increases of 0.2 and 0.5 percent, respectively. 

Other industries like construction and trade, transportation and utilities lost jobs over the month, but both reported gains of at least 1.4 percent for the year. 

Public sector jobs were the only to report losses for the month and year, with 100 jobs lost in December and 200 lost for the year.