Massachusetts Unemployment Rate For July Was Highest In Country
BOSTON (CBS) -- Once again, Massachusetts has the highest unemployment rate in the country, according to the Bureau of Labor statistics released Friday morning.
"Massachusetts had the highest unemployment rate in July, 16.1 percent, followed by New York, 15.9 percent," the agency stated in a news release.
That number is down from June's unemployment rate of 17.7%, which at the time was also higher than anywhere else in the United States.
It's estimated that Massachusetts gained just over 72,000 jobs in July. But since July 2019, the state has lost 452,00 jobs.
Gov. Charlie Baker put Massachusetts' reopening on pause in August as the state saw an uptick in coronavirus cases. Recent numbers have shown improvement, as the 7-day weighted average of positive tests in the state is now 1.3%, the lowest it has been in weeks.
Connecticut saw a new unemployment rate high of 10.2% in July, according to to the numbers. New Hampshire's unemployment rate was at 8.1% for July.
Learn more about applying for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts here.