Massachusetts Unemployment Drops by .4%

For the first time in almost two and a half years, Massachusetts saw a drop in unemployment last month. The states unemployment rate fell .4% to 8.9% from September’s 9.3%, the highest level since 1975. Although most of the growth came in professional services, the best news came from the construction industry which added 100 jobs. Construction has been hit particularly hard nationwide as a result of the housing market decline.

Government employment was also up with the 800 jobs lost in local and state governments being offset by 1000 federal census jobs.