The Greater Worcester metropolitan area saw an increase of 566 unemployed workers in November, raising the unemployment rate from 2.8% in October to 2.9% in November. Despite the slight increase, the projections for 2023 show a slight rise in the total number of workers for the region. These data were released by the state’s Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.

The Worcester area’s unemployment rate is similar to the statewide unemployment rate of 2.8%. The area added 2,600 workers within the last year, which is a 0.9% increase. Also, the present figures are better than those from 2022 when the unemployment rate for November was 3.3%.

Increases in unemployment rates were also observed in other areas of Central Massachusetts. The Athol micropolitan area noted an increase from 2.9% in October to 3.2% in November. The Framingham division’s unemployment rate went up by 0.1% in November to 2.4%. The Leominster-Gardner metropolitan saw a rise of 0.2% from October, bringing November’s rate to 3%.

Among the seven New England city and town areas included in the report, the Boston-Cambridge-Nashua metropolitan region saw the largest gain of jobs in November, with an increase of 5,100. Conversely, the Barnstable metropolitan area had the largest decrease, with 2,900 jobs lost. Note that these numbers aren’t adjusted for seasonal fluctuations and might show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.