June 2026 | Released July 21, 2026
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United States
Employment snapshot
In June, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 30, rose in 7, and remained unchanged in 14.
The highest unemployment rate was 6 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.2 percent.
In June, payroll jobs rose in 34 states and fell in 17. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Alaska and New Hampshire. The largest payroll job percent decline was 1.2 percent in West Virginia.
Massachusetts
Employment snapshot
In June, Massachusetts added 8,400 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4 percent. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 4,100 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Massachusetts added 18,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 57,000 in June, or 0 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 20th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In June, Massachusetts’s private sector added 8,700 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 16,000 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 5,200 net private payroll jobs.
In June, employment in Massachusetts fell by 478, and over the past 12 months it fell by 70,995.
Massachusetts’s labor force participation rate fell to 65.3 percent in June from 65.4 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 added 8,400 net payroll jobs, or 0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 4,100 jobs. Massachusetts nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 57,000 in June, or 0 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 20th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Massachusetts added 8,700 private sector jobs, or 0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during June. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 5,200 jobs. Massachusetts private sector payroll employment has increased in 8 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 49,000 jobs in June, or 0 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 27th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
From May 2026 to June 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+5,900) and Construction (+3,700).
- The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,600) and Other Services (-1,200).
From June 2025 to June 2026:
- The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+12,300) and State and Local Government (+5,000).
- The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-3,000) and Financial Activities (-1,600).
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 65.3 percent in June from 65.4 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 fell by 0.3 percentage points to 61.5 percent in June.