BOSTON — Pittsfield saw its seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate drop to 7 percent during the month of July, compared to 7.8 percent jobless rate statewide.
The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported Tuesday that the July seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates were down not only in Pittsfield but also in the Framingham, Lawrence-Methuen-Salem, Peabody, Barnstable, Amherst, Great Barrington, Nantucket and Tisbury areas; unchanged in the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Worcester and North Adams areas and up in the remaining 10 areas.
The Pittsfield area also had the largest over-the-year growth rate at 5.4 percent followed by the Worcester area, at 3.7 percent.
In Pittsfield, out of a work force of 41,773, 38,830 were employed. The metropolitan area had a jobless rate of 7.3 in June; a year ago, the rate was 7.9 compared to the statewide jobless rate of 8.5
Great Barrington jobless rate was 5.4 percent, down from 5.6 in June and 6.0 from a year ago.
North Adams remained the same at 8.8 percent, although that is still down from 9.4 percent a year ago. Some 1,554 were out of work in July out of a work force of 17,647.
Statewide, the July seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.8 percent.
Over-the-year, unemployment rates were lower in 21 areas and unchanged in one area. The state unadjusted unemployment rate was down 0.7 of a percentage point from the 8.5 percent rate in July 2010.
The Barnstable and Pittsfield areas had continued strong seasonal job growth rates at 3.6 and 3.2 percent respectively. Over-the-month, Other Services jobs increased in all 12 areas, while Leisure and Hospitality jobs increased in eight of the areas.
The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate released on Aug. 18 showed a 12,700 job gain. The seasonally adjusted statewide July unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.6 percent for the third consecutive month and was down 0.8 of a percentage point from the 8.4 percent rate recorded in July 2010. The Massachusetts statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remains well below the national rate of 9.1 percent.
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.
The August 2011 unemployment rate, labor force data and jobs estimates for Massachusetts will be released on Sept. 15, 2011; local unemployment statistics will be released on Sept. 20, 2011. For more information: www.mass.gov/lmi.
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BOSTON — Pittsfield saw its seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate drop to 7 percent during the month of July, compared to 7.8 percent jobless rate statewide. 
