September 2025 | Released December 11, 2025

Download the full PDF for Massachusetts

Download the summary PDF for Massachusetts

United States

Employment snapshot

• In September, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 10, rose in 21, and remained unchanged in 20.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.2 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 4.4 percent.

• In September, payroll jobs rose in 30 states and fell in 20. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.6 percent in Missouri. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Alaska, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Massachusetts

Employment snapshot

• In September, Massachusetts lost 11,100 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.7 percent. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 7,200 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Massachusetts lost 9,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 4.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts ranks 49th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In September, Massachusetts’s private sector lost 10,900 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 6,400 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 6,700 net private payroll jobs.

• In September, employment in Massachusetts fell by 1,276, and over the past 12 months it rose by 19,997.

• Massachusetts’s labor force participation rate fell to 66.8 percent in September from 66.9 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 lost 11,100 net payroll jobs, or -0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 7,200 jobs. Massachusetts nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 119,000 in September, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts ranks 49th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Massachusetts lost 10,900 private sector jobs, or -0.3 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during September. In the prior month, Massachusetts lost 6,700 jobs. Massachusetts private sector payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 97,000 jobs in September, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 48th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From August 2025 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+1,800) and Information (+300).
• The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-4,500) and Other Services (-4,400).

From September 2024 to September 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Financial Activities (+3,100) and Other Services (+2,300).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-7,700) and Manufacturing (-1,900).

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 66.8 percent in September from 66.9 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 62.4 percent in September.