Massachusetts Unemployment Rate Drops Below 7%; Still Above National Average

BOSTON (CBS) -- Massachusetts' unemployment rate dropped below 7% in March, according to the latest jobless numbers. The total unemployment rate is 6.8%, which is higher than the national unemployment rate of 6%.

It's a drop of 0.2 percentage points from February's numbers. The Bay State hit a pandemic high of 17.7% unemployment in June, and a low of 6.7% in November.

New Hampshire's unemployment rate, by comparison, is down to 3%.

It's estimated that Massachusetts gained 12,800 jobs in March. But overall, the state has lost 272,700 jobs since the start of the pandemic.

The leisure and hospitality industry saw the biggest gain, adding 6,000 jobs for the month.

Click here for information on applying for unemployment assstance in Massachusetts.

In:
• Unemployment
• Coronavirus