Massachusetts Unemployment Remains Below National Rate in September

BOSTON — The state’s September total unemployment rate was 3.8%, a 0.1% increase from the revised August estimate of 3.7%, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced. The Massachusetts unemployment rate was 0.3% 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 6,500 from the revised estimate of 3,844,000 in August, with 2,700 more residents employed and 3,700 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 — increased 0.1% over the month, to 66.4%, the highest it has been since January 2020. Compared to September 2023, the labor-force participation rate increased by 1.4% over the year.

The BLS preliminary job estimates for Massachusetts decreased by 2,600 jobs in September. This follows August’s revised loss of 2,100 jobs. Preliminary private-sector jobs increased by 4,600 in September. The largest over-the-month private-sector job gains were in education and health services; other services; and professional, scientific, and business services. Employment now stands at 3,743,700. Massachusetts gained 680,200 jobs since the employment low in April 2020.

From September 2023 to September 2024, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 34,100 jobs. The largest over-the-year gains occurred in education and health services, construction, and government.