MA!JOBS=LAUS(25)
Massachusetts: jobs and unemployment
Unemployment, employment and the labor force in Massachusetts from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
BLS LAUSLatest month: September 2026
Unemployment, September 20264.3%#35 of 51 · #1 = lowest
Annual average, 20254.5%US 4.3%, weighted by labor force
Labor force, 20253.94M+0.6% on a year earlier
Employed, 20253.77M177,971 unemployed
Labor forceEmployed
| Year | Unemployment rate | Labor force | Employed | Unemployed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.5% | 3,944,197 | 3,766,226 | 177,971 | |
| 2024 | 4.0% | 3,920,504 | 3,764,385 | 156,119 | |
| 2023 | 3.5% | 3,824,146 | 3,690,724 | 133,422 | |
| 2022 | 3.7% | 3,780,983 | 3,642,556 | 138,427 | |
| 2021 | 5.3% | 3,744,962 | 3,545,871 | 199,091 | |
| 2020 | 9.3% | 3,742,675 | 3,395,793 | 346,882 | |
| 2019 | 3.0% | 3,847,203 | 3,730,081 | 117,122 | |
| 2018 | 3.5% | 3,822,146 | 3,690,050 | 132,096 | |
| 2017 | 3.8% | 3,728,355 | 3,585,664 | 142,691 | |
| 2016 | 4.0% | 3,653,833 | 3,507,611 | 146,222 | |
| 2015 | 4.8% | 3,619,682 | 3,445,762 | 173,920 | |
| 2014 | 5.7% | 3,593,431 | 3,387,002 | 206,429 | |
| 2013 | 6.7% | 3,530,267 | 3,294,952 | 235,315 | |
| 2012 | 6.7% | 3,515,452 | 3,279,919 | 235,533 | |
| 2011 | 7.2% | 3,487,104 | 3,234,776 | 252,328 | |
| 2010 | 8.1% | 3,469,441 | 3,187,963 | 281,478 | |
| 2009 | 8.1% | 3,448,726 | 3,167,783 | 280,943 | |
| 2008 | 5.3% | 3,443,949 | 3,261,415 | 182,534 | |
| 2007 | 4.5% | 3,413,152 | 3,259,639 | 153,513 | |
| 2006 | 4.7% | 3,393,358 | 3,233,866 | 159,492 | |
| 2005 | 4.8% | 3,367,755 | 3,206,455 | 161,300 | |
| 2004 | 5.1% | 3,388,266 | 3,214,624 | 173,642 | |
| 2003 | 5.7% | 3,409,620 | 3,213,745 | 195,875 | |
| 2002 | 5.2% | 3,432,490 | 3,252,509 | 179,981 | |
| 2001 | 3.8% | 3,381,587 | 3,252,970 | 128,617 | |
| 2000 | 2.8% | 3,335,105 | 3,241,815 | 93,290 | |
| 1999 | 3.3% | 3,356,866 | 3,246,036 | 110,830 | |
| 1998 | 3.4% | 3,330,123 | 3,217,472 | 112,651 | |
| 1997 | 4.1% | 3,305,580 | 3,171,495 | 134,085 | |
| 1996 | 4.6% | 3,232,958 | 3,083,897 | 149,061 | |
| 1995 | 5.5% | 3,200,907 | 3,025,933 | 174,974 | |
| 1994 | 6.2% | 3,194,217 | 2,994,935 | 199,282 | |
| 1993 | 7.3% | 3,186,676 | 2,954,602 | 232,074 | |
| 1992 | 8.8% | 3,182,773 | 2,902,499 | 280,274 | |
| 1991 | 8.9% | 3,182,989 | 2,900,001 | 282,988 | |
| 1990 | 6.4% | 3,239,024 | 3,033,046 | 205,978 | |
| 1989 | 4.2% | 3,232,836 | 3,096,924 | 135,912 | |
| 1988 | 3.3% | 3,198,250 | 3,092,844 | 105,406 | |
| 1987 | 3.4% | 3,141,741 | 3,036,202 | 105,539 | |
| 1986 | 4.0% | 3,101,572 | 2,977,529 | 124,043 | |
| 1985 | 4.1% | 3,081,580 | 2,954,889 | 126,691 | |
| 1984 | 4.8% | 3,066,374 | 2,920,059 | 146,315 | |
| 1983 | 6.9% | 2,995,527 | 2,787,418 | 208,109 | |
| 1982 | 7.8% | 2,992,852 | 2,758,667 | 234,185 | |
| 1981 | 6.4% | 2,953,474 | 2,763,875 | 189,599 | |
| 1980 | 5.7% | 2,873,352 | 2,708,306 | 165,046 | |
| 1979 | 5.5% | 2,859,551 | 2,703,084 | 156,467 | |
| 1978 | 6.2% | 2,815,479 | 2,642,147 | 173,332 | |
| 1977 | 7.9% | 2,753,330 | 2,536,924 | 216,406 | |
| 1976 | 9.8% | 2,727,705 | 2,460,609 | 267,096 |
BLS LAUS: monthly rates are seasonally adjusted; annual averages are not seasonally adjusted.