The U.S. economy gained 275,000 jobs in February, and the unemployment rate was up slightly, to 3.9%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
February's biggest job gains were in health care (+67,000), government (+52,000), food services and drinking places (+42,000), social assistance (+24,000), construction (+23,000), transportation and warehousing (+20,000) and retail trade (+19,000). Employment showed little change over the month in other major industries, including mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction; manufacturing; wholesale trade; information; financial activities; professional and business services; and other services.
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for teenagers (12.5%) and adult women (3.5%) increased during the month. The jobless rates for Black Americans (5.6%), Hispanics (5.0%), adult men (3.5%), White Americans (3.4%) and Asian Americans (3.4%) showed little or no change in February.
The number of long-term unemployed workers (those jobless for 27 weeks or longer) was little changed in February and accounted for 18.7% of the total number of people unemployed.