Unemployment Flat in Braintree in October

Braintree's unemployment rate remained at 6.5 percent in October, according to new information released by the state that shows the town's number is well below both the state and national average.

Overall in Massachusetts, according to a report released Tuesday by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, seasonally unadjusted unemployment dropped 0.1 percent to 6.8 percent last month.

The seasonally adjusted statewide October unemployment rate was 7.2 percent, up 0.1 of a percentage point from September. 

The national unemployment rate was 7.3 percent in October, according to the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Braintree's unemployment rate has fluctuated throughout the year, but remained below the state and national average. It was at 6.1 percent in January 2013, dropped to 5.3 percent in April and rose to 6.6 percent in June.

In 2010, the town's rate hit a recent high of 7.8 percent.

Braintree's labor force has 19,433 people. Of those, 1,267 were unemployed in October.