What is the unemployment rate in Massachusetts right now?
Updates published monthly
About 4.4% in March 2025. That’s a 0.6 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’s a common way to measure the health of the job market and economy.
In March 2025,
4.4%
of the labor force was unemployed in Massachusetts
March 2025 had a
+0.6
percentage point change from March 2024
The Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates the unemployment rate through a monthly survey to identify the civilian labor force, meaning people who are employed or actively seeking work. It counts part-time workers as employed. It excludes people who aren’t actively looking for work, such as retirees or discouraged workers.
In March 2025, the unemployment rate in Massachusetts was higher than the US overall.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, January 2007 to March 2025
Unemployment rates differ within states due to various factors. Counties with many job opportunities and different industries often have lower unemployment rates. In rural areas or in places where industries are shrinking, the rate can be higher. Seasonal work in industries like tourism or farming can lead to unemployment rising or falling. Population changes and local policies also play a role in how many people are employed.
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In Massachusetts, Nantucket County/town, MA had the highest unemployment rate at 17.1%. Middlesex County, MA had the lowest at 4.3%. Middlesex County, MA, the county with the largest labor force in the state, had an unemployment rate of 4.3%. The latest county-level data is from February 2025.
Unemployment rates in Massachusetts counties ranged from 4.3% to 17.1% in February 2025.
Not seasonally adjusted
Unemployment rate, by county in Massachusetts (February 2025)
| 1. | Nantucket County/town, MA | 17.1% |
| 2. | Dukes County, MA | 9.0% |
| 3. | Barnstable County, MA | 7.7% |
| 4. | Bristol County, MA | 6.2% |
| 5. | Hampden County, MA | 6.0% |
| 6. | Berkshire County, MA | 5.3% |
| 7. | Plymouth County, MA | 5.2% |
| 8. | Worcester County, MA | 5.2% |
| 9. | Essex County, MA | 5.0% |
| 10. | Franklin County, MA | 4.7% |
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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.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics
Local Area Unemployment Statistics and Current Population Survey
