New England's unemployment rate has almost doubled from 4.5 percent to 8.9 percent since the U.S. recession began in December 2007, according to new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The 8.9 percent rate in May was the same as April's. For 2010, the rate is up 0.7 percent.

Among the states, Rhode Island's rate of 12.3 percent was the highest in the region and the fourth highest in the U.S. Since May 2009, Rhode Island's rate was up 2.1 percentage points and was among 12 states nationally that recorded increases in their jobless rates during the last 12 months.

The rates in the other New England states were: Massachusetts (9.1 percent), Connecticut (8.3 percent), Maine (7.1 percent), New Hampsire (6.4 percent) and Vermont (6.2 percent).