BOSTON (AP) — State officials say the Massachusetts unemployment rate has dipped again as more jobs are added.
The office of Labor and Workforce Development released new figures on Thursday showing that the state's jobless rate stood at 6.3 percent in April, down from 6.5 percent in March.
The national unemployment rate was 8.1 percent last month.
Officials say preliminary estimates from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics show Massachusetts gaining about 2,500 jobs during the month.
According to the latest figures, the state has added more than 31,000 jobs in the first four months of 2012.
Five of the ten leading private employment sectors showed gains in April.
Gains were seen in:
— The Professional, Scientific, and Business Services, which added 4,200 jobs over the month.
— Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 900.
— Information gained 600.
— Leisure and Hospitality added 600.
— Financial Activities gained 300.
Losing jobs were:
— Construction lost 1,300.
— Manufacturing lost 1,200.
— Other Services lost 400 (-0.3%) jobs over the month. Over the year, the sector added 2,200 (+1.8%) jobs.
— Education and Health Services lost 300.
— Government lost 900.
Mining and Logging employment remained unchanged both over the month and over the year.
The April 2012 estimates show 3,239,000 Massachusetts residents were employed and 216,200 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,455,300.
Over the month, 9,700 fewer residents were unemployed and 11,600 more residents were employed.
At 3,239,000, the number of employed residents is the highest since December 2008.
Since the unemployment rate peaked at 8.7 percent in October 2009, there are 78,500 more residents employed and 84,800 fewer residents unemployed. Totals for April may not sum exactly due to rounding.
The unemployment rate is based on a monthly sample of households. The job estimates are derived from a monthly sample survey of employers. As a result, the two statistics for April exhibit different trends.
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