© 2024
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

New England Unemployment Rate Rises

WAMC file photo

The unemployment rate in New England climbed in July but remains below the national average.

The New England office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said Thursday the jobless rate in the six-state region was 7.1 percent last month, up from 6.8 percent in June.

Rhode Island's 10.8 percent unemployment rate is the highest in New England and the second highest in the U.S.

By contrast, Vermont's rate of 5 percent is the lowest in the region and the fifth lowest in the country.

The national jobless rate in July was 8.3 percent.

The New England rate is down seven-tenths of a percentage point from a year ago.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Lucas Willard is a news reporter and host at WAMC Northeast Public Radio, which he joined in 2011. He produces and hosts The Best of Our Knowledge and WAMC Listening Party.