RI unemployment holds at 12.7% for Feb.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Unemployment in Rhode Island was 12.7 percent in Ferbuary, the same rate it was in January, according to the Department of Labor and Training (DLT).

It was still much higher that the national unemployment rate, which was also unchanged from January at 9.7%.

Rhode Island's unemployment rate has remained unchanged since December of 2009 .

The survey by the Department of Labor and Training found the number of unemployed Rhode Islanders dropped by 100 from January, to a total of 73,200. This is the first time the number of unemployed residents has dropped month-over-month since February 2007, the DLT said.

The number of employed Rhode Island residents increased by 1,600 from January, according to the DLT's survey. The total state workforce was 505,000.

Rhode Island added 400 jobs from January's total, marking two straight months of job gains. Accommodation and Food Services added the most position, followed by Retail.

Educational Services and Professional & Business Services saw the most job losses, according to the DLT.