December 2025 | Released January 27, 2026
Download the full PDF for Massachusetts
Download the summary PDF for Massachusetts
United States
Employment snapshot
In December, among the 50 states and the District of Columbia unemployment fell in 8, rose in 21, and remained unchanged in 22.
The highest unemployment rate was 6.7 percent in District of Columbia, and the lowest was 2.2 percent in Hawaii and South Dakota. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point to 4.4 percent.
In December, payroll jobs rose in 23 states and fell in 27. The largest payroll job percent increase was 0.4 percent in Delaware and Montana. The largest payroll job percent decline was 0.3 percent in Kansas and Nebraska.
Massachusetts
Employment snapshot
In December, Massachusetts added 4,600 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage point to 4.8 percent. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 4,300 net payroll jobs.
Over the past 12 months, Massachusetts added 1,300 net payroll jobs and the unemployment rate rose by 0.7 percentage points from 4.1 percent.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 34th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
In December, Massachusetts’s private sector added 4,200 net private payroll jobs, and over the past 12 months it added 1,700 private payroll jobs. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 4,200 net private payroll jobs.
In December, employment in Massachusetts fell by 9,268, and over the past 12 months it rose by 2,817.
Massachusetts’s labor force participation rate fell to 66.5 percent in December from 66.6 percent and ranks 10th in the nation. In the past 12 months, the labor force participation rate has risen by 0.2 percentage points.
Massachusetts
Payroll employment
Massachusetts added 4,600 net payroll jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 4,300 jobs. Massachusetts nonfarm payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, nonfarm payrolls rose by 50,000 in December, or 0 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 34th in the nation for percentage gain in nonfarm payroll employment over the past 12 months.
Massachusetts added 4,200 private sector jobs, or 0.1 percent, on a seasonally adjusted basis during December. In the prior month, Massachusetts added 4,200 jobs. Massachusetts private sector payroll employment has increased in 7 of the past 12 months.
Nationally, private sector payroll jobs rose by 37,000 jobs in December, or 0 percent. Massachusetts is tied for 33rd in the nation for percentage gain in private sector payroll employment over the past 12 months.
From November 2025 to December 2025:
- The best performing sectors were Leisure and Hospitality (+5,700) and Private Education and Health Services (+1,000).
- The worst performing sectors were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (-1,700) and Professional and Business Services (-1,000).
From December 2024 to December 2025:
- The best performing sectors were State and Local Government (+2,500) and Construction (+1,800).
- The worst performing sectors were Federal Government (-2,900) and Professional and Business Services (-2,700).
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 66.5 percent in December from 66.6 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 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 62.4 percent in December.