How many jobs were added in Massachusetts last month?
Refreshed monthly
Massachusetts gained 3,500 jobs in September 2026, ranking it ninth among states in job growth. Those figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' state employment report, which tracks monthly job changes. Job numbers can swing month to month as local economies expand or contract, but over the past five years the state has averaged about 2,500 new jobs per month. These figures are often revised in later months as more complete data rolls in.
+3.5K
month to month change in number of jobs (September 2026)
9th
rank among states in monthly job growth (September 2026)
Massachusetts’s job growth of 3,500 in September 2026 was a directional change from the previous month. The latest monthly job change was up from the 5,600 loss in August 2026.
During the latest five year period (October 2021 to September 2026), Massachusetts gained jobs in 36 out of 60 months. September 2026 had the 24th-highest job growth during this period. The highest gains during this period occurred in October 2021 (+34,100) while job growth was weakest in June 2025 (-13,100).
There were 3,500 more jobs in September 2026 in Massachusetts than the previous month.
Monthly change in nonfarm employment, October 2021–September 2026, seasonally adjusted
Which Massachusetts sectors and industries had the best and worst job growth in September 2026?
The three supersectors with the highest job growth in September 2026 were finance and insurance, professional, scientific, and technical services, and wholesale trade. Finance and insurance added 2,400 jobs, more than the entire economy. Professional, scientific, and technical services gained 2,200 jobs, while wholesale trade added 1,400. The remaining supersectors either posted smaller gains or lost jobs during the month.
The three lowest-performing supersectors were health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services, and durable goods. Health care and social assistance lost 1,600 jobs in September 2026, while accommodation and food services lost 1,300 jobs and durable goods lost 1,200 jobs.
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The health care and social assistance sector lost 1,600 jobs during September 2026.
Change in jobs since previous month with circle size representing number of sector jobs in Massachusetts (September 2026)
How has Massachusetts's job growth changed over time?
In 2025, Massachusetts lost an average of 1,442 jobs every month. That's lower than the 2024 average monthly decrease of 358, and the lowest since 2020. The 2025 average ranks as fourth-lowest in job growth since 2007.
When excluding the two pandemic-affected years of 2020 and 2021, job growth ranged from a loss of 6,900 on average every month in 2009 to a gain of 7,100 on average every month in 2014.
In 2025, Massachusetts lost an average of 1,400 jobs every month.
Average monthly change in the number of jobs, seasonally adjusted
Job growth among six metro areas primarily in Massachusetts during September 2026 ranged from a loss of 3,000 jobs in the Boston, MA area to a gain of 200 jobs in the Barnstable Town, MA area.
Monthly job growth, by metro area
Metro areas where at least one of its primary counties are within Massachusetts
| Metro area | Change in jobs | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | +200 | |
| 2. | +0 | |
| 3. | -100 | |
| 4. | -700 | |
| 5. | -1,000 | |
| 6. | -1,200 | |
| 7. | -3,000 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
