August 2025 | Released September 19, 2025

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United States

Employment snapshot

• In August, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 13, rose in 12, and remained unchanged in 26.

• The highest unemployment rate was 6 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 1.9 percent in South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent.

• In August, payroll jobs rose in 32 states and fell in 18. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.5 percent in Utah. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.7 percent in District of Columbia.

Massachusetts

Employment snapshot

• In August, Massachusetts lost 3,800 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.8 percent. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 2,100 net payroll jobs.

• Over the past 12 months, Massachusetts added 6,500 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points from 4.2 percent.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. Massachusetts ranks 44th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• In August, Massachusetts’s private sector lost 4,500 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 10,900 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 2,300 net private payroll jobs.

• In August, employment in Massachusetts rose by 3,649, and over the past 12 months it rose by 22,327.

• Massachusetts’s labor force participation rate remained steady at 66.9 percent in August and ranks 10th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.5 percentage points.

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Massachusetts

Payroll employment

• Massachusetts lost 3,800 net payroll jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 2,100 jobs. Massachusetts nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 22,000 in August, or 0 percent. Massachusetts ranks 44th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.

• Massachusetts lost 4,500 private sector jobs, or -0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during August. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 2,300 jobs. Massachusetts private sector payroll employment has increased in 6 of the past 12 months.

• Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 38,000 jobs in August, or 0 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 43rd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.

From July 2025 to August 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (+1,000) and State and Local Government (+1,000).
• The worst performing sectors were Construction (-2,600) and Private Education and Health Services (-2,500).

From August 2024 to August 2025:

• The best performing sectors were Private Education and Health Services (+6,400) and Other Services (+5,900).
• The worst performing sectors were Professional and Business Services (-6,000) and State and Local Government (-3,300).

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 remained unchanged at 66.9 percent in August.

• 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 62.3 percent in August.