The New England unemployment rate dropped to 5.9 percent in May, down by more than 1 percent from the same month last year when it was 7.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported yesterday.

The region’s jobless rate in May was little changed from the month before, when it was 6.1 percent. The national jobless rate in May was 6.3 percent.

The Massachusetts unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in May, down from 6 percent in April and 7 percent in May 2013.

Three of the six New England states posted jobless rates that were significantly different from that of the United States in May. Vermont, 3.3 percent, and New Hampshire, 4.4 percent, were among 21 states in the country to report jobless rates well below the national rate. Rhode Island’s unemployment rate of 8.2 percent was the highest in the nation.

Massachusetts was the only New England state to post a statistically significant unemployment rate change over the month and one of five to do so over the year.

The four other New England states to record statistically significant unemployment rate changes in May compared with the same month last year included:  Rhode Island (down 1.3 percent), Maine and Vermont (down 1 percent each) and New Hampshire (down 0.8 percent).

New England is one of nine geographic divisions nationwide. In May, the Pacific division continued to have the highest jobless rate at 7.3 percent. The West North Central division again had the lowest unemployment rate, 5 percent. New England and seven other divisions had statistically significant rate changes from a year earlier, all of which were declines.