Pittsfield Sees Job Gains Over Year

Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development 10:31AM / Tuesday December 20, 2011

BOSTON — The Pittsfield metropolitan area had one of the biggest percentage gains in jobs over the past year, up 3.7 percent, as the state has continued to see a drop in unemployment rates.

Pittsfield's jobless rate (seasonally unadjusted) has dropped from 8.1 percent last November to 6.6 percent, below the state jobless rate.

The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development on Tuesday reported that the November seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates were down over-the-month in 19 areas and up in three areas — Tisbury, Nantucket and Barnstable. Statewide, the November seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate was 6.4 percent, down from 6.8 percent in October. Over-the-year the statewide rate was down 1.7 percentage points from the 8.1 percent rate recorded for November 2010. All 22 labor area rates were down over the year.

In November, over-the-month job gains occurred in the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton, Worcester, Framingham, Springfield, Leominster-Fitchburg-Gardner, and New Bedford areas. Five areas posted job losses, including the Pittsfield, which shed 300 jobs.

Over-the-year, all 12 areas added jobs with the largest gains in the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, Worcester, Framingham and Springfield areas. The largest percentage gains occurred in the Pittsfield, Worcester and Brockton-Bridgewater-Easton areas.

Pittsfield Metro
Total Employment			Over-the-year
Nov. 2010	35,600	8.2 %	1,300 job gain
Nov. 2011	36,900	6.6%	up 3.7 %

The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate released on Dec. 15 showed a 5,000 over-the-month job gain. The seasonally adjusted statewide November unemployment rate dropped to 7 percent from the October rate of 7.3 percent, and was down 1.3 percentage points from the 8.3 percent rate recorded in November 2010. The national rate is 8.6 percent, down from 9.8 percent in November 2010.

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 December 2011 unemployment rate, labor force data and jobs estimates for Massachusetts will be released on Jan. 19, 2012; local unemployment statistics will be released on Jan. 24, 2012. Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/lmi. See the revised February 2011 Media Advisory annual schedule for complete listing of release dates.

pittsfiedl total employment nov. 2010 35,600 nov. 2011 36,900 OTY 2010 1300 jobs for 3.7 percent

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