Massachusetts job growth, unemployment, and JOLTS analysis — built from official BLS data.
Latest three months: Sep 2026 +3,500 · Aug −5,600 · Jul −4,000. Since Sep 2025, Massachusetts payrolls are net +16,300. Source: BLS CES, seasonally adjusted; Sep 2026 released October 20, 2026.
MA unemployment was 4.3% in Sep 2026; the national rate for the same month was 4.2%. The rate held as the number of unemployed rose by 603 — but the labor force grew by 8,338 in Sep 2026. Peak to Sep 2026: 72,435 people have exited the MA labor force since Mar 2025. Source: BLS LAUS, October 20, 2026.
| Measure | Massachusetts | United States | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.2% | +0.1 pts |
| Payroll jobs — 12-month change | +0.44% | +0.37% | +0.07 pts |
| Labor force — 12-month change | −1.51% | −0.58% | −0.93 pts |
| Job openings rate | 3.4% (Dec 2025) | 4.5% (Sep 2026) | different periods |
Unemployment: BLS LAUS (MA) and CPS (US). Payrolls and labor force: BLS CES and CPS, seasonally adjusted. Growth rows are 12-month percent changes, because a state and the nation cannot be compared on levels. Job openings is not a like-for-like row: BLS ended monthly state JOLTS after December 2025, so the Massachusetts figure is the last monthly reading published and the national one is current. They are shown together because the comparison is still worth having, but they are different periods and no gap is computed between them.
Two surveys, two stories. The payroll (employer) survey and the household survey are counting different things and have been telling different stories. Payrolls are up 16,300 jobs over the last twelve months; the household survey shows the labor force down 72,435 from its Mar 2025 peak. EOLWD frames the labor-force decline as retirement-driven, but immigration policy is also pulling on the supply side. — BLS LAUS & CES, October 20, 2026
MA unemployment held at 4.3% in Sep 2026 (from 4.3%). The labor force rose 8,338 that month, and stands 72,435 below its Mar 2025 peak. Participation (16+) is 65.4%, against 61.9% nationally.
Why the rate can hold steady while the labor force shrinks: U-3 is a fraction — unemployed ÷ labor force. When people exit the labor force (retire, stop searching, leave the country), both denominator and numerator can fall, leaving the rate flat. EOLWD's framing is that retirements are the dominant driver and prime-age engagement is actually at a 10-year high. The supply-side story matters as much as the unemployment rate for understanding labor market tightness.
U-3 vs U-6 — what each measures: U-3 (4.4%) counts only people actively job-searching. U-4 adds discouraged workers. U-5 adds all marginally attached. U-6 (7.8%) adds involuntary part-time workers — people who want full-time work but can only find part-time. In Q3 2026 the gap between the two was 3.4 points, or roughly 132,000 MA residents measured against that quarter's labor force of about 3.89M. Note: state U-6 is published quarterly by BLS as 4-quarter moving averages, and Q3 2026 is the latest available — so both rates quoted here are that quarter's, not the current month's headline rate.
| Measure | What it includes | Q1 2026 | Q2 2026 | Q3 2026 | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-3 (official) | Actively unemployed | 4.5% | 4.2% | 4.4% | National: 4.3% |
| U-4 | + Discouraged workers | 4.8% | 4.5% | 4.7% | National: 4.6% |
| U-5 | + All marginally attached | 5.4% | 5.1% | 5.4% | National: 5.3% |
| U-6 | + Involuntary part-time | 7.6% | 7.5% | 7.8% | National: 8.1% |
| Month | Labor Force | Monthly Change | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2025 (peak) | 3,952,593 | +682 | Peak |
| Apr 2026 | 3,888,509 | −11,721 | Largest monthly decline |
| May 2026 | 3,879,513 | −8,996 | — |
| Jun 2026 | 3,873,490 | −6,023 | — |
| Jul 2026 | 3,870,952 | −2,538 | — |
| Aug 2026 | 3,871,820 | +868 | — |
| Sep 2026 | 3,880,158 | +8,338 | Latest |
| 18-Month Total | — | −72,435 | Peak Mar 2025 → Sep 2026 |
| Group | Sep 2026 | Aug 2026 | Sep 2025 | Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts (16+) | 65.4% | 65.3% | 66.4% | -1.0 pts vs a year ago |
| National (16+) | 61.9% | 61.8% | — | MA is 3.5 pts above the nation |
Prime-age (25–54) participation is not on this page as a live figure. BLS does not publish a monthly state participation rate by age band, so the 86.7% "10-year high" widely quoted for Massachusetts is EOLWD's own calculation, released 22 May 2026 and describing April 2026. It is carried here as a dated citation rather than a current reading, because nothing on this page can refresh it. Treat the headline 16+ rate above as the live number.
+3,500 jobs in Sep 2026 (preliminary). Most recent decline before that: −5,600 in Aug 2026. April was revised to −5,600 (from the +8,500 first reported) and March held at −4,000. Net since September 2025: +16,300 payroll jobs. Source: BLS CES State & Metro Area, released October 20, 2026.
Context: The trailing six months (Apr 2026–Sep 2026) are net +3,200, against −17,300 for full-year 2025 measured December to December. EOLWD Chief Economist Mark Rembert: "Job postings activity remains strong across sectors, with encouraging signals that the Commonwealth's high-tech industries are seeking more workers." The household survey still shows a smaller labor force, so the two surveys continue to diverge.
From April 2025 to April 2026, the foreign-born civilian labor force fell −153K (33.0M → 32.85M) while the native-born labor force fell −949K (137.6M → 136.7M). It's the first year-over-year decline in foreign-born labor force since the 2020 COVID shock — a hot topic given immigration policy shifts. The native-born decline is 6× larger in absolute terms, but the foreign-born decline is the bigger narrative shift. Source: BLS CPS Table A-7 (May 8, 2026 release, NSA).
How to read these series. CPS Table A-7 is the household survey, not seasonally adjusted, published monthly with the national jobs report. The foreign born are people residing in the U.S. who were not citizens at birth — this includes legal immigrants, refugees, students, temporary workers, and undocumented immigrants (BLS does not separate these categories). 2025 annual averages use 11-month data (October omitted due to federal shutdown) and are not strictly comparable with other years.
| Metric | Foreign-Born Apr 2026 | Foreign-Born Apr 2025 | Native-Born Apr 2026 | Native-Born Apr 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civilian population (16+) | 49.66M | 49.65M | 225.30M | 223.55M |
| Civilian labor force | 32.85M | 33.00M | 136.70M | 137.65M |
| Employed | 31.65M | 31.80M | 131.13M | 132.27M |
| Unemployed | 1.20M | 1.20M | 5.57M | 5.38M |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.6% | 4.1% | 3.9% |
| Participation rate | 66.2% | 66.5% | 60.7% | 61.6% |
| Employment–pop ratio | 63.7% | 64.1% | 58.2% | 59.2% |
| Year | Foreign-Born UR | Native-Born UR | FB Share of Labor Force |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 3.1% | 3.8% | 17.4% |
| 2020 | 9.2% | 8.0% | 17.0% |
| 2021 | 5.6% | 5.4% | 17.4% |
| 2022 | 4.0% | 3.6% | 18.1% |
| 2023 | 3.6% | 3.6% | 18.6% |
| 2024 | 4.2% | 4.0% | 19.2% |
| 2025* | 4.2% | 4.3% | ~19.4% |
| Region | FB Share of Labor Force (2024) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 19.2% | Up from 18.6% in 2023 |
| Northeast (incl. MA) | 22.7% | 2nd highest of 4 census regions |
| West | 24.4% | Highest |
| South | 19.0% | Near US average |
| Midwest | 10.7% | Lowest |
Why this matters for MA. Massachusetts sits inside the Northeast region where foreign-born workers are ~23% of the labor force — well above the 19% national average. The contraction in foreign-born labor force (first YoY decline since COVID) is therefore disproportionately felt in MA. This is consistent with the EOLWD observation that the headline MA labor force is shrinking even as prime-age (25-54) participation reaches a 10-year high — retirements explain part of it, but a smaller pipeline of foreign-born workers is also weighing on labor supply.
MA’s degree-heavy sectors have stalled since 2022 while health care keeps growing. Information (tech/media) is down 11.7% from its 2022 peak; professional & business services and finance are each off 3–4%. Massachusetts is the most college-educated state (~47% hold a bachelor’s), so a national white-collar slowdown lands hard here.
College grads & tech — what the data shows. Degree-holders 25+ still have the lowest unemployment nationally (2.7%), but recent grads (22–27) sit near 5.2% — above the overall rate for five straight years (NY Fed), and entry-level, degree-hungry industries have shed jobs since 2023. In Massachusetts the tech/information sector is down 11.7% from its 2022 peak. The degree still pays — but its old job-security head-start has thinned, especially at the entry door and in tech.
| Sector | 2022 Peak | Sep 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information (tech / media) | 98.9 | 87.3 | −11.7% |
| Professional & Business Svcs | 632.9 | 609.3 | −3.7% |
| Financial Activities | 230.3 | 223.2 | −3.1% |
| Education & Health | — | 860.1 | record high |
| Group | Oct 2026 | Oct 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| White men (20+) | 3.5% | — |
| White women (20+) | 3.1% | — |
| Men (16+) | 4.3% | — |
| Women (16+) | 4.0% | — |
| All workers (16+) | 4.1% | — |
| Black (16+) | 6.6% | — |
| Hispanic (16+) | 4.7% | — |
| Year | Men | Women | Gap (pts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 91.6% | 76.7% | 14.9 |
| 2015 | 88.3% | 73.7% | 14.6 |
| 2019 | 89.1% | 76.0% | 13.1 |
| 2024 | 89.3% | 77.9% | 11.4 |
| 2026 (Oct) | 89.7% | 77.9% | 11.8 |
| Education | Oct 2026 |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree & higher | 2.6% |
| Some college / associate | 3.9% |
| High school, no college | 5.8% |
| Less than high school | 3.8% |
| Recent grads (22–27) | ~5.7% |
| Year | White share of employed |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 82.3% |
| 2010 | 82.1% |
| 2015 | 79.2% |
| 2019 | 77.7% |
| 2024 | 76.3% |
| 2025 | 75.7% |
MA is the most college-educated state — roughly 47% of adults hold a bachelor’s degree vs ~35% nationally — so a white-collar hiring slowdown lands harder here. Race×sex isn’t published monthly at the state level, so these are national figures with MA context.
BLS ended monthly state-level JOLTS releases. The last MA-specific openings data is December 2025. A full annual 2025 state release is expected July 2026. National JOLTS remains monthly and is auto-updated by this dashboard.
| Metric | September 2026 | September 2025 | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Job Openings | 7.5M | 7.2M | +354K |
| National Hires | 5.4M | 5.2M | +158K |
| National Separations | 5.3M | 5.2M | +158K |
| Quits | 3.4M | 3.0M | +375K |
| Layoffs & Discharges | 1.6M | 1.8M | −175K |
What the loss of monthly state JOLTS means: Job openings, quit rates, and hire rates were the best real-time indicators of MA labor demand. Without them, the only monthly MA-specific data is unemployment (LAUS) and payrolls by sector (CES). The annual release in July 2026 will provide 2025 totals but no monthly trend. This is a meaningful reduction in labor market visibility for Massachusetts.
| Sector | Jobs | 1-mo | 1-yr | 1-yr % | vs Feb ’20 | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Education & Health | 860.1K | −1,600 | +13,400 | +1.6% | +3.4% | 23.2% |
| Trade/Transport/Util | 558.2K | +2,000 | −2,800 | −0.5% | −4.0% | 15.0% |
| Government | 476.8K | +700 | +3,300 | +0.7% | +2.3% | 12.8% |
| Prof & Business | 609.3K | +2,400 | +1,300 | +0.2% | +0.3% | 16.4% |
| Leisure & Hospitality | 359.8K | −1,500 | −3,500 | −1.0% | −6.5% | 9.7% |
| Manufacturing | 227.5K | −1,200 | +2,500 | +1.1% | −6.3% | 6.1% |
| Financial Activities | 223.2K | +2,500 | +200 | +0.1% | −1.6% | 6.0% |
| Construction | 167.5K | −300 | +1,800 | +1.1% | +1.0% | 4.5% |
| Other Services | 140.2K | +600 | +2,500 | +1.8% | −1.1% | 3.8% |
| Information (tech) | 87.3K | −100 | −2,500 | −2.8% | −8.7% | 2.4% |
| Total Nonfarm | 3711.0K | 100% |
MA’s job market across the whole spectrum. Education & Health is the growth engine. Information/tech is the clearest soft spot (still well below its 2022 and pre-pandemic highs), with professional services and finance also off their peaks. Construction and health care are carrying most of the recent gains. Every figure here updates automatically from the monthly BLS state release.
Month over month, payrolls rose in 3, fell in 3 and were flat in 1 of the 7 metropolitan areas and divisions for which BLS publishes Massachusetts job estimates. Year over year, 6 are higher. Source: BLS Current Employment Statistics, metropolitan-area payrolls, seasonally adjusted (the series the charts below plot).
| Area | Month over month | Year over year |
|---|---|---|
| Barnstable | +0.2% | +4.3% |
| Boston Metro Div | +0.2% | −0.1% |
| Cambridge-Newton-Framingham | +0.1% | +0.4% |
| Amherst-Northampton | 0.0% | +0.4% |
| Pittsfield | −0.2% | +0.7% |
| Worcester | −0.3% | +1.3% |
| Springfield | −0.3% | +0.6% |
Geography of the recovery: Strongest year-over-year in Barnstable, Worcester and Pittsfield. Of the seven published metro areas, six — Barnstable, Worcester, Pittsfield, Springfield, Cambridge-Newton-Framingham and Amherst-Northampton — gained jobs year-over-year, reflecting a broader pivot of activity outside the Boston core. Over the same window, unemployment rose in 0 of the 7 areas, fell in 5 and was unchanged in 2 (Sep 2025 → Sep 2026; BLS LAUS, not seasonally adjusted).
MA Unemployment: 4.7% (held) | Payroll Jobs: +8,500 | March revised UP: +6,800 → +7,200 | 6-Month Total (Nov–Apr): +21,600 (+19,600 private)
LFPR: 65.6% · Prime-age (25–54) LFPR: 86.7% (10-year high)
Top sectors: Construction +3,100 · Ed/Health +1,900 · Prof/Business +1,400
Source: BLS LAUS/CES via Mass.gov EOLWD, May 22, 2026
Figures as reported that day. After revision the current series puts April at +7,400 and the Nov–Apr six-month total at +14,200.
Unemployment fell in all 12 MA labor market areas vs. March. 6 of 7 published MSAs/Metro Divisions gained jobs. Largest MoM job gains: Barnstable (+3.3%), Amherst-Northampton (+1.3%), Boston Metro Division (+1.2%). YoY job leaders: Barnstable (+4.1%), Worcester (+0.4%), Springfield (+0.3%). MA statewide unadjusted UR: 4.1% vs US 4.0%.
Source: EOLWD Local LMI release, May 26, 2026
Foreign-born UR 4.2% in 2025 (unchanged YoY) · Native-born UR 4.3% (up from 4.0%) · Foreign born now ~19.4% of US labor force · Northeast share ~23% · See Foreign-Born vs Native tab for full breakdown.
Source: BLS USDL-26-0XXX, May 19, 2026
Payrolls: +165,000 | Unemployment: 4.1% (down) | U-6: 7.9%
Household survey: employed persons +463,000 · civilian labor force +421,000
Source: BLS Employment Situation, November 6, 2026 · full sector breakdown & revisions in the release
BLS is discontinuing monthly state-level JOLTS releases. The first annual state JOLTS release will be in July 2026, covering full-year 2025 data. Monthly national JOLTS data will continue.
EOLWD: "The recent period of employment expansion continued in April, outpacing the rest of the country, with most sectors gaining jobs." — Chief Economist Mark Rembert. EOLWD reported at that release that MA had added jobs in 6 of the previous 7 months.
| Metric | Sep 2026 | Aug 2026 | Jul 2026 | Jun 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate (SA) | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.4% | 4.4% |
| Payroll Job Change | +3,500 | −5,600 | −4,000 | +6,000 |
| Labor Force Change | +8,338 | +868 | −2,538 | −6,023 |
| Metric | Oct 2026 | Sep 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| National Unemployment (U-3) | 4.1% | 4.2% |
| National U-6 (true underemployment) | 7.9% | 7.6% |
| Payroll Jobs Change | +165,000 | +60,000 |
| Household — Employed persons | +463,000 | +406,000 |
| National labor force change | +421,000 | +485,000 |
| Employed persons since Sep 2025 | −41,000 cumulative | |
| Industry | Jobs | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Professional & Business | +70,000 | 22,604K |
| Private Education & Health | +53,000 | 28,058K |
| Trade, Transportation & Utilities | +22,000 | 28,818K |
| Manufacturing | +19,000 | 12,681K |
| Financial Activities | +7,000 | 9,085K |
| Government | +6,000 | 23,332K |
| Other Services | +6,000 | 6,045K |
| Information | −1,000 | 2,734K |
| Mining & Logging | −1,000 | 605K |
| Construction | −3,000 | 8,367K |
| Leisure & Hospitality | −13,000 | 16,964K |
| Month | First reported | Now | Revision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | +29,000 | +60,000 | +31,000 |
| Aug 2026 | +162,000 | +186,000 | +24,000 |
| Jul 2026 | −23,000 | −10,000 | +13,000 |
Release cadence: MA state employment (LAUS/CES) is published monthly by EOLWD roughly three weeks after the reference month, with the prior month revised alongside it; MA local labor market data follows a few days later. The national Employment Situation leads the state data by about three weeks, and JOLTS trails it by a month. State JOLTS is annual from 2026. For exact dates see the BLS release calendar and EOLWD news releases.
Every figure on this page is listed with its source in the Employment & Labor section of the method.