Mass. Added 7,200 Jobs In July; Unemployment Rate At 4.7 Percent

Massachusetts added an estimated 7,200 jobs in July -- the 11th straight month of gains — the state labor department reported Thursday.

The state unemployment rate is at 4.7 percent, below the national jobless rate of 5.3 percent. The Massachusetts rate was reported as 4.6 percent last month, but was revised up due to revised labor force estimates. The revisions decreased the state labor force by an estimated 20,400.

The labor force is the number of people working, or actively seeking work.

With the revisions, the state labor force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — also fell, to 65.8 percent.

Among July's jobs gain, the education and health services sector led the way, adding 3,600 jobs. The leisure and hospitality sector lost 2,200 jobs.

Correction: Due to an error in a statement from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, an earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that in July Massachusetts saw its 10th straight month of job gains. It was the 11th straight month of gains.