Mass. Added 13,200 Jobs In July

The unemployment rate in Massachusetts is holding steady at 9 percent.

The new report from the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, out Thursday, shows the private sector added more than 19,000 jobs last month — its largest monthly gain in two decades.

The state agency said the Massachusetts economy has added 60,200 jobs since December. July is the sixth straight month of job gains in Massachusetts.

Government jobs were down by 6,000, mostly continuing cuts in the number of temporary federal Census workers.

Gov. Deval Patrick says the report shows the state's strategies are working.

"This isn't by accident," he said. "We've been working towards this recovery every single day by investing in our economy and the education of our young people, and our neglected infrastructure, in health care for our residents. And now is not the time to walk away from that progress."

Andre Mayer, of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, also says the report is a sign of recovery.

"This is a very substantial monthly gain in private-sector employment and shows that we are continuing to re-build our employment base and pull out of the recession," he said.