New Hampshire and New England continue to see an improving jobless rate and better jobless rates than the country as to whole, according to data released Wednesday.

New Hampshire’s unemployment rate in November was 5.2 percent, compared to 5.7 percent in November 2010, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. New Hampshire has the fourth-lowest jobless rate in the country; Vermont is right behind, at 5.3 percent.

The national rate was 8.6 percent in November.

Massachusetts unemployment rate was 7 percent in November, a sharp drop from the 8.3 percent jobless rate a year earlier.

New England as whole has seen its jobless rate gradually decline for the past two years, since peaking in January 2010 at 8.8 percent. In November, it was 7.3 percent.

Maine’s unemployment rate was 7 percent in November.

– DAVID BROOKS

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