Local Unemployment Rates Mirror State Trend

The Merrimack Valley got another dose of good economic news last week as statistics from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development indicated that unemployment rates are continuing to fall locally.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,Wilmington's unemployment in February was 5.3 percent. That's down from 5.6 percent in January and down from 6.1 percent in February 2012.

Tewksbury's unemployment rate in February was 5.9 percent. That's down from 6.3 percent in January and 6.4 percent in February 2012.

In Wilmington, unemployment in February was 5.3 percent. That's down from 5.6 percent in January and down from 6.1 percent in February 2012.

The local employment news mirrors the state trend. According to the the BLS, the February seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate was 6.8 percent, down 0.6 percent over the month.  Over the year, the statewide unadjusted rate was 0.5 percent below the 7.3 percent rate posted for February 2012.

The labor force, unemployment rates and jobs estimates, for Massachusetts and for every other state, are based on statistical methodologies specified by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The unadjusted unemployment rates and job estimates for the labor market areas reflect seasonal fluctuations and therefore may show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.