New England unemployment rate at 6.8 percent
Jobless rate in New England ticks down in April; still well below national average
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- The unemployment rate in New England ticked down in April to 6.8 percent.
The New England Information Office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced Tuesday the average jobless rate in the six-state region fell one-tenth of 1 percentage point from March. The New England rate was 7.2 percent a year ago.
The national rate in April was 7.5 percent, compared to 8.1 percent a year ago.
Rhode Island and Connecticut had the highest jobless rates in the region in April, 8.8 percent and 8 percent, respectively.
Maine's rate was 6.9 percent, Massachusetts' was 6.4 percent, New Hampshire's was 5.5 percent and Vermont's was 4 percent.
