February 2026 | Released April 22, 2026

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In February, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 9, rose in 18, and remained unchanged in 24.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6.5 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.3 percent in Hawaii and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.

• In February, payroll jobs rose in 14 states and fell in 36. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Wyoming. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.6 percent in Nebraska.

Massachusetts

Employment snapshot

• In February, Massachusetts lost 7,200 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.8 percent. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 2,000 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Massachusetts lost 17,000 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points from 4.3 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 43rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In February, Massachusetts’s private sector lost 7,400 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it lost 16,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 800 net private payroll jobs.

• In February, employment in Massachusetts fell by 11,314, and over the past 12 months it fell by 53,367.

• Massachusetts’s labor force participation rate fell to 66 percent in February from 66.2 percent and ranks 11th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has fallen by 0.7 percentage points.

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Massachusetts

Payroll employment

• Massachusetts lost 7,200 net payroll jobs, or -0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during February. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 2,000 jobs. Massachusetts nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 5 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 178,000 in March, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 43rd in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Massachusetts lost 7,400 private sector jobs, or -0.2 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during February. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 800 jobs. Massachusetts private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 186,000 jobs in March, or 0.1 percent. Massachusetts ranks 44th in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From January 2026 to February 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Information (+500) and Financial Activities (+400).
• The worst performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (-3,400) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-2,100).

From February 2025 to February 2026:

• The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+3,200) and State and Local Government (+3,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-9,900) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-6,100).

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 percent in February from 66.2 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 0.1 percentage points to 61.9 percent in March.