Jobs in Boston

Although jobs in Boston are not suffering as badly as those in many cities, unemployment continued to rise in September. The percentage of the population that was without work in the metropolitan area jumped from 4.7 to 5.0 percent, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. Only a year ago, just 4.1 percent of the population was unemployed.

Despite rising joblessness, unemployment in Boston remains lower than Massachusetts’ average, which increased slightly from 5.2 percent in August to 5.3 percent in September. The national unemployment rate was up to 6.1 percent.

Unemployment might have risen, but total nonfarm jobs in the city were up by 0.8 percent in September. This means that employers continue to create new jobs, but that businesses can not supply enough positions to offset population growth.

Three areas of employment experience an increase of more than 1.0 percent. Education and health services, a sector which has proven itself to be almost recession proof, posted the largest gains with an increase of 2.6 percent since last September. Professional and business services came next, growing by 2.4 percent, in comparison to the same time last year. Leisure and hospitality followed, with employment rising by 1.7 percent for the second month in a row.

Construction jobs saw the largest decrease in employment in Boston during the month of September. With fewer homes being sold, there is less of a need for new building projects, which caused employment in the sector to drop by 3 percent since the same month in 2007.

The manufacturing sector saw the second largest decrease, as employers cut jobs in this industry by 1.1 percent, in comparison to a year before The financial activities sectors, which has been struggling across the nation, also dropped employment significantly, as jobs fell by 1 percent.

The Boston jobless rate for October has yet to be released, but since the national average jumped 0.4 percent to 6.5 percent, it is easily assumed that Boston unemployment also increased. Issues like the financial crisis, credit issues and the housing market slump continue to plague the area.