New Hampshire’s preliminary seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February 2020 was 2.6 percent, unchanged from the January rate, which remained at 2.6 percent after revision. The February 2019 seasonally adjusted rate was 2.5 percent.

Seasonally adjusted estimates for February 2020 placed the number of employed residents at 759,560, an increase of 1,300 from the previous month and an increase of 9,070 from February 2019. The number of unemployed residents decreased by 10 over-the-month to 19,930. This was 590 more unemployed than in February 2019. From January to February 2020, the total labor force increased by 1,290 to 779,490. This was an increase of 9,660 from February 2019.

The unadjusted February 2020 unemployment rate for New Hampshire was 3.1 percent, unchanged from the January rate, which remained at 3.1 percent after revision. The February 2019 unadjusted rate was 3.0 percent.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February 2020 was 3.5 percent, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the January rate, and a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the February 2019 rate. The national unadjusted rate for February 2020 was 3.8 percent, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points from the January rate, and a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the February 2019 rate.

NOTE: State nonfarm employment estimates are available on our Internet Web site: www.nhes.nh.gov/elmi concurrent with this release. Local area unemployment rates are expected to be available on Thursday, April 2. All monthly data will continue to be published in the monthly newsletter New Hampshire Economic Conditions.