The three Central Massachusetts metropolitan areas tracked by the state all saw slight increases in their unemployment rates in December.
The Worcester area saw unemployment tick up three tenths of a percentage point in December to match the state rate of 3.3%, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Tuesday by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
The unemployment rate in the Leominster-Gardner area rose to 3.9% in December, from a November rate of 3.4%.
In the Framingham area, the unemployment rate rose to 2.6% in December from 2.2% in November.
Despite the increases from November to December, Central Massachusetts unemployment rates are down significantly year-over-year. The December 2021 unemployment rates were 4.2% in Greater Worcester, 5.0% in the Leominster-Gardner area, and 3.1% in Framingham.
Despite unemployment rates rising, the number of jobs increased in December in Framingham and Leominster-Gardner. In both areas the number of jobs increased by two-tenths of a percentage point, the largest gains in the state along with the Lawrence-Methuen area, which includes parts of New Hampshire.
Worcester remained flat in employment since November.
