New England jobless rate ticks up to 6.9 percent
New England's unemployment rate edges up to 6.9 percent; still considerably lower than US rate
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- The unemployment rate in New England ticked up in May but remains considerably lower than the national rate.
The New England Information Office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said Wednesday the rate for the six-state region was 6.9 percent, up from 6.8 percent in April. A year ago, the rate in New England was 7.3 percent.
The national unemployment rate for May was 7.6 percent.
Rhode Island and Connecticut had the highest jobless rates in the region in May, 8.9 percent and 8 percent, respectively.
Maine's rate was 6.8 percent, Massachusetts' was 6.6 percent, New Hampshire's was 5.3 percent and Vermont's was 4.1 percent.
