Mass. Added 16,100 Jobs In Jan.; Jobless Rate Holds At 6.7 Percent

The Massachusetts economy added an estimated 16,100 jobs in January, while the state's unemployment rate held steady at 6.7 percent, according to the latest monthly report from the state office of Labor and Workforce Development.

The report, released Thursday, also includes federal revisions that show that Massachusetts gained nearly 93,000 jobs in 2011 and 2012 — 32,100 more jobs than previously estimated.

"While initial estimates of job growth are based on surveys of representative samples," the state said in its report, "the [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics] benchmark revisions are based on actual data collected from employers in the Commonwealth through September 2012."

Said state Labor Secretary Joanne Goldstein in the release: "These jobs estimates show a steady job recovery and more continuous job growth compared to previously published estimates for 2011 and 2012."

The initial estimates for January 2013 include the gain of 19,300 private-sector jobs and the loss of 3,200 government jobs, for a net gain of 16,100.

The professional, scientific and business services sector added the most jobs in January (5,100), followed by the leisure and hospitality sector (3,300); the trade, transportation and utilities sector (2,400); and the construction sector (2,400).

Other sectors that gained positions are: manufacturing (2,100), education and health services (1,900), other services (1,300), information (700) and financial activities (100).

Approximately 3,251,000 Massachusetts residents were employed in January, and 232,900 were unemployed. The state's labor force increased 2,100 over December 2012's figure.

The Massachusetts jobless rate, at 6.7 percent, is more than 1 percentage point below the national rate, which was 7.9 percent in January.

The monthly jobs estimates and unemployment rate are derived from separate surveys.