The Greater Worcester metropolitan area saw a rise in unemployment by 566 in November, with the region’s workforce expected to see a marginal increase in 2023. The Worcester area’s unemployment rate moved from 2.8% in October to 2.9% in November, marginally higher than the statewide unemployment rate of 2.8%, as per data from the state’s Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

The Worcester region expanded its employment by 2,600 over the year, marking a 0.9% rise. In a year-on-year comparison, the unemployment rate in November 2022 was 3.3%, meaning the current figures show a slight improvement.

Unemployment rates in other Central Massachusetts areas also increased. The Athol micropolitan area saw an escalation from 2.9% in October to 3.2% in November, still lower than November 2022’s figure of 3.9%.

The Leominster-Gardner metropolitan area recorded a November rate of 3%, 0.2% higher than October, but lesser than the 3.7% in November 2022.

Across seven New England city and town areas included in the report, the Boston-Cambridge-Nashua metropolitan region saw the maximum job gain in November, accumulating an increase of 5,100. Conversely, the Barnstable metropolitan area experienced the highest decline, losing 2,900 jobs.