New Bedford Unemployment Rate Leads State

The Greater New Bedford Metropolitan area still leads the State in unemployment.

The latest figures from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development show the labor force in Greater New Bedford decreased by 74 while the unemployment numbers decreased by more than 300 people. However, despite those figures, Greater New Bedford's unemployment rate is 11 point 5 per cent, tops in the state, while Greater Fall River stands at 11 point 1 and Lawrence Methuen is at 11 per cent unemployed.

However, in the cities themselves, Fall River leads the state with a rate of 15 per cent while Lawrence is second at 14 point 2 and New Bedford is third with a rate of 14 per cent. According State officials, New Bedford was one area of the state that showed over the month job gains.