The New England unemployment rate declined to 6.4 percent in February, dropping below the national unemployment rate for the first time since October 2013, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported yesterday.

The region’s unemployment rate was 7.1 percent in February 2013 and 6.7 percent last month. The national unemployment rate was 7.7 percent in February 2013 and 6.7 percent in February of this year, 0.1 percent higher than its January rate of 6.6 percent.

The jobless rate in Massachusetts was 6.5 percent in February, 0.4 percent lower than its February 2014 rate of 6.9 percent. In January, the Bay State’s unemployment rate was 6.8 percent.

Three of the six New England states posted jobless rates that were significantly different from that of the national rate in February. Vermont (3.7 percent) and New Hampshire (4.7 percent) recorded significantly lower unemployment rates and were among 22 states in the country to do so.

Rhode Island had the highest unemployment rate in the nation at 9 percent. It was one of six states with unemployment rates measurably higher than the national average.

Three New England states recorded a statistically significant unemployment rate decrease over the month: Massachusetts and Vermont (-0.3 percentage point each) and New Hampshire (-0.2 point).

Over the year, Maine was the only New England state to record a statistically significant unemployment rate change, down 0.8 percentage point.

New England is one of nine geographic divisions nationwide. In February, the Pacific division continued to have the highest jobless rate at 7.6 percent. The West North Central division again registered the lowest unemployment rate at 5 percent. New England and the South Atlantic had statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate declines (-0.3 and -0.1 percentage point, respectively). New England and seven other divisions had significant rate changes from a year earlier, all of which were declines.