March unemployment rates in local metro areas fell from February, but were mixed when compared with the same month a year ago.
The unemployment rate in the Binghamton area dropped to 8.6, down from 9.3 percent in February and down from 8.7 percent a year ago.
The Syracuse region’s unemployment rate also decreased, dropping to 8.7 percent in March from 9.4 percent in February. However, the rate was up slightly from a year ago when it was 8.5 percent.
The rate in the Utica-Rome area dropped from 9.4 percent in February to 8.8 percent in March. The rate was unchanged from a year ago.
The nation’s unemployment rate was 8.4 percent in March, down from 8.7 percent in February and down from 9.2 percent a year ago. The state’s rate, at 8.7 percent in March, was down from 9.2 percent in February, but up from 8.2 percent in March 2011.
Contact DeLore at tgregory@tmvbj.com