Mass. Economy Grew 2.3 Percent Last Year, Edging U.S. Growth

The Massachusetts economy expanded 2.3 percent last year, just edging the country's overall growth of 2.2 percent, the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Wednesday.

Massachusetts' economic expansion checked in at 15th among states in 2014 — 4 percentage points behind leading North Dakota's 6.3 percent growth — but it was the top performer in New England.

Cumulatively the region's economy grew just 1.6 percent last year.

Massachusetts' 2.3 percent growth last year was the state's best since 2011, when it also expanded 2.3 percent. In 2012 the Massachusetts economy increased 1.7 percent and in 2013 it grew 1.2 percent.

Both the 2012 and 2013 state GDP figures were revised downward — by a total of 1 percentage point over the two years — on Wednesday.

The professional, scientific and technical services sector led Massachusetts growth last year, accounting for 0.52 percentage points of the overall 2.3 percent growth.

The state added 60,700 jobs in 2014, according to figures last revised in March. It was Massachusetts’ strongest year for job growth since 2000.