The Bay State had a better month for jobs gains in October, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, adding 7,900 jobs during the month, compared to 2,700 in September.
However, total unemployment ticked up from 6.5 percent in September to 6.6 in October. That’s still an improvement over last year when the unemployment rate was 7.1 percent. The three-month average is 6.5 percent, while the six-month average was 6.3 percent.
Year-to-date, Massachusetts has seen a net gain of 43,300 jobs, bringing the total in the state to 3,255,100.
The largest gains for October were in professional, scientific, and business services (2,400, or 0.5 percent), construction (2,400 or 2.3 percent) and financial activities (1,700 or 0.8 percent).
Although some of the largest gains over the year were in trade, transportation and utilities (6,300 or 1.1 percent), the sector lost 700 jobs in October. Similarly, leisure and hospitality gained 8,200 jobs, or 2.7 percent, year to date, but lost 200 in October.
