What is the unemployment rate in the right now?

Refreshed monthly
Unemployment in the Boston, MA area was at 3.8% in April 2026. That's a 0.1 percentage point increase from a year before. The unemployment rate is the percentage of people in the labor force who are actively looking for work but not currently employed. It helps indicate the overall condition of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH Metro Area job market.
In April 2026,

3.8%

of the labor force was unemployed in Boston, MA area
April 2026 had a

+0.1

percentage point change from April 2025
Metro area-level unemployment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics does not account for fluctuations due to seasonal employment patterns, such as tourism or agriculture. That means the data may show large changes month to month. It’s important to view this local data with a long-term lens.

The unemployment rate in Boston, MA area was higher in April 2026 (YTD) compared with January 2019.

Unemployment rate by month, not seasonally adjusted, 2019-2026 (YTD)

Unemployment rates differ between urban areas due to various factors. The types of industries present in an area may affect unemployment rates. Seasonal work in industries like tourism can cause unemployment to go up and down. Population changes and local policies also play a role in how many people are employed.

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How does unemployment in the Boston, MA area compare to other metros?

1. Introduction - Introduce the topic of unemployment rates in the specified area. - Mention the importance of analyzing unemployment rates across different metropolitan areas. 2. Current Unemployment Rate - Provide the latest unemployment rate for the specified area. - Present the national average unemployment rate. 3. Historical Trends - Discuss historical unemployment trends in the specified area. - Compare these trends to other metropolitan areas over the same period. 4. Factors Influencing Unemployment - Identify and explain key factors that may influence unemployment rates in the specified area. - Compare these factors to those in other metropolitan areas. 5. Economic Impact - Discuss the economic impact of unemployment in the specified area. - Compare this impact to other metropolitan areas. 6. Conclusion - Summarize the key points discussed. - Highlight differences or similarities in unemployment rates between the specified area and other metropolitan areas.
Among 108 metro areas with more than 250,000 people in the labor force, the Boston, MA area had the 50th highest unemployment rate in April 2026.
Other areas with similar unemployment rates to the Boston, MA area's 3.8% unemployment rate were the Phoenix, AZ area (3.8%) and the Syracuse, NY area (3.8%).

In April 2026, the Boston, MA area had the 50th highest unemployment rate among metro areas with more than 250,000 people in the labor force.

Unemployment rate, not seasonally adjusted (Circle size corresponds to the size of the labor force)

Unemployment rate, by metro area (April 2026)

Unemployment rate, by metro area (April 2026)
1.

El Centro, CA area

16.5%
2.

Yuma, AZ area

13.9%
3.

Visalia, CA area

10.2%
4.

Merced, CA area

9.6%
5.

Hanford, CA area

8.9%
6.

Bakersfield, CA area

8.7%
7.

Guayama, PR area

8.6%
8.

Eagle Pass, TX area

8.5%
9.

Fresno, CA area

8.1%
10.

Wildwood, FL area

7.9%

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

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.