The New England unemployment rate was 5.3 percent in February, just below the national rate of 5.5 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.

The region’s jobless rate was unchanged from the previous month, but substantially lower than February 2014 when it was reported at 6.3 percent. In Massachusetts, the unemployment rate hit 4.9 percent in February, down from 6 percent in February 2014 and 5.1 percent in January 2015.

Year-over-year, five New England states had statistically significant unemployment rate decreases. Rhode Island posted the largest unemployment drop, down 2.1 percentage points to 6.3 percent, tying it with Kentucky for the largest rate decline nationwide. Along with Massachusetts, Maine (-0.9 point), New Hampshire (-0.7 point) and Connecticut (-0.6 point) also had jobless rate decreases from one year ago.

Connecticut (6.4 percent) and Rhode Island (6.3 percent) were among 13 states and the District of Columbia that reported unemployment rates measurably higher than the national average.

New England is one of nine geographic divisions nationwide. The Pacific had the highest jobless rate, 6.5 percent in February. The West North Central division had the lowest unemployment at 4.2 percent.