May 2026
Released June 23, 2026
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United States
Employment snapshot
In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 20, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 22.
The highest unemployment rate was 6.1 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.1 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in May.
In May, payroll jobs rose in 38 states and fell in 13. The largest payroll job percent increase was 1.4 percent in West Virginia. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.5 percent in Montana.
Massachusetts
Employment snapshot
In May, Massachusetts lost 2,900 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.2 percentage point to 4.5 percent. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 7,400 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Massachusetts lost 2,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point from 4.4 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 34th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In May, Massachusetts’s private sector lost 4,100 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 4,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 6,200 net private payroll jobs.
In May, employment in Massachusetts fell by 4,194, and over the past 12 months it fell by 72,630.
Massachusetts’s labor force participation rate fell to 65.4 percent in May from 65.6 percent and ranks 11th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1.3 percentage points.
Massachusetts
Payroll employment
Massachusetts lost 2,900 net payroll jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 7,400 jobs. Massachusetts nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 172,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 34th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Massachusetts lost 4,100 private sector jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 6,200 jobs. Massachusetts private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 120,000 jobs in May, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 37th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
From April 2026 to May 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (+1,200) and Private Education and Health Services (+1,200).
- The worst performing sectors were Construction (-4,200) and Leisure and Hospitality (-3,200).
From May 2025 to May 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+7,000) and State and Local Government (+5,100).
- The worst performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (-4,400) and Professional and Business Services (-3,300).
Massachusetts
Labor force
The labor force participation rate is the percentage of the civilian noninstitutionalized population age 16 and older who are employed or actively looking for work.
The labor force participation rate in Massachusetts fell to 65.4 percent in May from 65.6 percent in the prior month.
Massachusetts ranks 11th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Massachusetts was 67.4 percent occurring in July 2018, and the 10-year low was 61.1 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate remained steady at 61.8 percent in May.