New England jobless rate down to 6.1 percent

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The unemployment rate in New England fell to 6.1 percent in April, which is slightly below the U.S. average.

The New England information office of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced the rate for the six-state region on Tuesday. It ticked down from 6.3 percent in March. A year ago, it was 7 percent.

The U.S. unemployment rate for the month was 6.3 percent.

Rhode Island had the worst jobless rate in New England, at 8.3 percent. That’s also the highest rate in the nation.

Connecticut’s rate was 6.9 percent, Massachusetts’ was 6 percent, Maine’s was 5.7 percent, New Hampshire’s was 4.4 percent and Vermont’s was 3.3 percent.