Massachusetts Unemployment Rate Remains Low in October

BOSTON — The state’s October total unemployment rate was 3.9%, a 0.1% increase from the revised September estimate of 3.8%, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced. The Massachusetts unemployment rate was 0.2% lower than the national rate of 4.1% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was up by 0.5%.

The labor force increased by an estimated 3,000 from the revised estimate of 3,850,600 in September, with 300 more residents employed and 2,900 more residents unemployed over the month. The state’s labor-force participation rate — the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks — remained steady at 66.4%. Compared to October 2023, the labor-force participation rate increased by 1.4% over the year.

The BLS preliminary job estimates for Massachusetts decreased by 200 jobs in October. This follows September’s revised loss of 1,800 jobs. The largest over-the-month private-sector job gains were in leisure and hospitality, financial activities, and manufacturing. Employment now stands at 3,744,300. Massachusetts gained 680,800 jobs since the employment low in April 2020.

From October 2023 to October 2024, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 32,900 jobs. The largest over-the-year gains occurred in education and health services, leisure and hospitality, and government.