April 2025
Released May 21, 2025
Released April 18, 2025
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United States Employment Snapshot
In April, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 5, rose in 20, and remained unchanged in 26.
The highest unemployment rate was 5.8 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in April.
In April, payroll jobs rose in 40 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Mississippi. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.2 percent in Vermont.
Massachusetts Employment Snapshot
In April, Massachusetts added 7,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 4.6 percent. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 2,800 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Massachusetts added 5,700 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.7 percentage points from 3.9 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 45th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In April, Massachusetts’s private sector added 7,800 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 1,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 2,200 net private payroll jobs.
In April, employment in Massachusetts rose by 1,108, and over the past 12 months it rose by 23,437.
Massachusetts’s labor force participation rate rose to 66.7 percent in April from 66.6 percent and ranks 10th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.4 percentage points.
Massachusetts Payroll Employment
Massachusetts added 7,700 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 2,800 jobs. Massachusetts nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 45th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Massachusetts added 7,800 private sector jobs, or 0.2 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during April. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 2,200 jobs. Massachusetts private sector payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 167,000 jobs in April, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 45th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
The best performing sectors on a seasonally adjusted basis during April were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (4,400) and Construction (1,200).
The poorest performing sectors during the month were Information (-200) and Leisure and Hospitality (-300).
The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (7,600) and Government (3,800).
The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Information (-2,300) and Construction (-4,400).
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 66.7 percent in April from 66.6 percent in the prior month.
Massachusetts ranks 10th in the nation.
The 10-year high for the labor force participation rate in Massachusetts was 67.4 percent occurring in January 2019, and the 10-year low was 61.1 percent in April 2020.
The national labor force participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 62.6 percent in April.