From: bizjournals.com

Image from: MAROKE

The state’s unemployment rate stood at 2.8 percent in December, the lowest it has been in 16 years, the Executive Office of Labor and Development said Thursday.

The rate fell from 2.9 percent in November, marking the sixth consecutive month that Massachusetts unemployment has decreased. The state added an estimated 6,600 jobs last month, according to the agency. Across 2016, Massachusetts added 75,000 jobs.

Leading the jobs increase was the education and health services sector, which gained 4,600 jobs in December, the agency said. The construction industry added 3,700 jobs.

The worst-performing sector was government, which lost 4,700 months in December after adding a net of 5,800 positions the previous month.

Massachusetts’ unemployment rate was last as low as 2.8 percent in December 2000, the agency said.

The U.S. unemployment rate stood at 4.7 percent last month.