Mass. Added 2,500 Jobs In April; Rate Drops To 6.3 Percent

The Massachusetts economy added 2,500 jobs last month, and the state's unemployment rate dropped to 6.3 percent, the state office of Labor and Workforce Development has just reported.

According to preliminary state figures, Massachusetts' private sector gained 3,400 jobs in April, and has added more than 33,000 jobs so far in 2012. Overall, the state's economy has gained 31,100 jobs this year.

The April jobs gain follows a revised addition of 7,500 jobs in March. Last month, the state had initially reported that Massachusetts gained 8,700 jobs in March.

The unemployment rate ticked down from the March rate of 6.5 percent. The current national jobless rate is 8.1 percent.

In April, five of 10 Massachusetts private sectors added jobs, according to the government release: professional, scientific and business services; trade, transportation and utilities; information; leisure and hospitality; and financial activities.

Last month, the construction sector lost 1,300 jobs, and the manufacturing sector lost 1,200 jobs. Government payrolls dropped by 900 jobs, the state said.

Update at 11:05 a.m.: In an interview with WBUR's Curt Nickisch, Northeastern University economist Alan Clayton-Matthews called the state economy the little “choo choo that could.”

"Growth has been at a moderate pace, but it’s been going on now for over two years," Clayton-Matthews told Curt. "And these gains are beginning to add up."

Clayton-Matthews said half of the jobs lost during the downturn have now been regained.