September 2026
Released October 20, 2026
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United States
Employment snapshot
In September, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 18, rose in 9, and remained unchanged in 24.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.
In September, payroll jobs rose in 24 states and fell in 25. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in South Carolina. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.4 percent in Missouri and Wisconsin.
Massachusetts
Employment snapshot
In September, Massachusetts added 3,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3 percent. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 5,600 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Massachusetts added 16,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points from 4.6 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 29,000 in September, or 0 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 24th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In September, Massachusetts’s private sector added 2,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 13,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 6,800 net private payroll jobs.
In September, employment in Massachusetts rose by 7,735, and over the past 12 months it fell by 45,326.
Massachusetts’s labor force participation rate rose to 65.4 percent in September from 65.3 percent and ranks 9th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 1 percentage point.
Massachusetts
Payroll employment
Massachusetts added 3,500 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 5,600 jobs. Massachusetts nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 29,000 in September, or 0 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 24th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Massachusetts added 2,800 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 6,800 jobs. Massachusetts private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 46,000 jobs in September, or 0 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 31st in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
From August 2026 to September 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Financial Activities (+2,500) and Professional and Business Services (+2,400).
- The worst performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (-1,600) and Leisure and Hospitality (-1,500).
From September 2025 to September 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+13,400) and State and Local Government (+5,800).
- The worst performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (-3,500) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-2,800).
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 rose to 65.4 percent in September from 65.3 percent in the prior month.
Massachusetts ranks 9th 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 rose by 0.2 percentage points to 61.8 percent in September.