May 2025 | Released June 24, 2025

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United States Employment Snapshot

• In May, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 14, and remained unchanged in 24.

• The highest unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.8 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged in May.

• In May, payroll jobs rose in 37 states and fell in 11. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Montana. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.4 percent in Connecticut.

Massachusetts Employment Snapshot

• In May, Massachusetts added 3,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage point to 4.8 percent. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 8,100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Massachusetts added 4,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.8 percentage points from 4 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 139,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 46th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In May, Massachusetts’s private sector added 3,700 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 2,500 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 8,100 net private payroll jobs.

• In May, employment in Massachusetts rose by 3,489, and over the past 12 months it rose by 21,360.

• Massachusetts’s labor force participation rate rose to 66.9 percent in May from 66.7 percent and ranks 10th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.6 percentage points.

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Massachusetts Payroll Employment

• Massachusetts added 3,200 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 8,100 jobs. Massachusetts nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 139,000 in May, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 46th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Massachusetts added 3,700 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent. on a seasonally adjusted basis during May. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 8,100 jobs. Massachusetts private sector payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 140,000 jobs in May, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 47th 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 May were Leisure and Hospitality (1,400) and Financial Activities (1,100).

• The poorest performing sectors during the month were Government (-500) and Professional and Business Services (-1,900).

• The best performing sectors during the last 12 months were Education and Health Services (7,100) and Financial Activities (3,400).

• The poorest performing sectors during the last 12 months were Construction (-4,000) and Professional and Business Services (-4,300).

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 rose to 66.9 percent in May from 66.7 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 fell by 0.2 percentage points to 62.4 percent in May.