Four of the 10 major industry sectors in Connecticut gained jobs over the year, down from five that expanded in 2016. A bright spot is that manufacturing, which includes well-paid, skilled jobs, led employment growth. It rose by 1.9 percent, adding 2,900 jobs.

The greatest job loser was the information sector — publishing, broadcasting, data processing and similar occupations. It posted the fastest job loss.

The government sector, which is struggling with lower revenue, was the biggest job loser, down 3,500 jobs, in 2017. Government also includes the two Native American-run casinos in southeast Connecticut.

And only four of the state’s nine labor market areas added jobs, with the Norwich-New London area posting the biggest growth. Southeast Connecticut is benefiting from a boom in submarine construction at General Dynamics Corp.’s Electric Boat.

The Bridgeport-Stamford area labor market lost jobs last year, from 410,100 in 2016 to 406,500. It’s the second-largest labor market area in the state, after Hartford, which expanded in 2017.

Joseph McGee, vice president of public policy and programs at the Business Council of Fairfield County, said southwest Connecticut’s congested transportation — Interstate 95 and the Metro-North commuter rail system — are taking their toll on economic growth. Transportation problems are discouraging companies from adding to their workforces, he said.

“It’s a slow bleed. You don’t realize it,” McGee said. “Then you see we’re not growing the way we should.”