The unemployment rate in New Hampshire rose a tenth of a point to 5.8% in January. More than 43,000 Granite Staters remain out of work.
But Annette Nielsen, an economist with NH Employment Security, says the trend for the state is heading in the right direction.
Nielsen: “The economy is growing...we are adding jobs, so people are not discouraged. They are actually encouraged by that activity so that they are joining in bigger numbers, and attempting to find employment.”
But she adds the economy isn’t strong enough to employ all the new job seekers, and that’s driving the unemployment rate up in the state.
New Hampshire has added 5,500 jobs in the past twelve months, and has seen a rebound in the construction, retail and education sectors.
The national unemployment rate is 7.9%.
