Unemployment Rates for MA vs US
Use the interactive data visualization below to see current and historical Massachusetts seasonally adjusted unemployment rates compared to the seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for the United States.
- Hover your cursor over the information button on the top left of the visual for more information.
- Use the filters to switch between unemployment rates and labor force participation rates and adjust the time period.
The data in the above visualization comes from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program (LAUS). Click here to view and download LAUS data in a table or spreadsheet.
Regional Unemployment Statistics Explorer
Explore Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data, including labor force trends, across a range of geographic regions throughout the state—from individual towns, cities, and counties, to Workforce Development Areas and Skills Cabinet Regions.
- Click on a region for historic trends, comparisons, and more details.
- Use the controls section above the map to select a date, change region type, toggle map labels, or switch to the table view.
- Select "Concepts" in the upper right corner of the dashboard to see definitions and access links to download data.
The data in the above visualization comes from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program (LAUS). Click here to access national data and data for other states from this program on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.
Unemployment Rates by Demographic in Massachusetts (12-Month Moving Averages)
Use the interactive data visualization below to see current and historical Massachusetts unemployment rates (12-month moving averages) broken down by race/ethnicity, sex, and age group.
- Hover your cursor over the information button on the top left of the visual for more information.
- Use the filters to adjust the time period.
- Click the tabs on the top of the visualization to view the labor force participation and unemployment rates by different demographic groupings.
The data in this visualization are 12-month moving averages of the U.S. Census Bureau/Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Population Survey (CPS), calculated by DER. Click here to see CPS data on the U.S. Census Bureau's website.
Unemployment Rates for Other States
Use the interactive data visualization below to see current and historical seasonally adjusted unemployment rates and how Massachusetts compares to other states.
- Hover your cursor over the information button on the top left of the visual for more information.
- Use the filters to adjust the time period and selected states.
- Use the tabs to change between unemployment rates and labor force participation rates.
The data in the above visualization comes from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics Program (LAUS). Click here to access national data and data for other states from this program on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.
Frequently Asked Questions on Unemployment Rates
Please note that these definitions apply to unemployment rate and labor force as defined by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics program (LAUS) in conjunction with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
What is seasonal adjustment?
Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics; “Seasonal adjustment is a statistical technique that attempts to measure and remove the influences of predictable seasonal patterns to reveal how employment and unemployment change from month to month.
Over the course of a year, the size of the labor force, the levels of employment and unemployment, and other measures of labor market activity undergo fluctuations due to seasonal events including changes in weather, harvests, major holidays, and school schedules. Because these seasonal events follow a more or less regular pattern each year, their influence on statistical trends can be eliminated by seasonally adjusting the statistics from month to month. These seasonal adjustments make it easier to observe the cyclical, underlying trend, and other nonseasonal movements in the series.
As a general rule, the monthly employment and unemployment numbers reported in the news are seasonally adjusted data. Seasonally adjusted data are useful when comparing several months of data. Annual average estimates are calculated from the not seasonally adjusted data series.” (Bureau of Labor Statistics).
How is the labor force calculated and who is included?
The labor force is calculated by adding the number of employed people to the number of unemployed people in a specific geography. All people counted in the labor force are civilian, non-institutionalized, and 16 or older.
The labor force only includes those seeking and available for work. It does not include retired people, family caregivers, and others who are not seeking and/or unavailable for work.
The Labor Force Participation Rate is calculated by dividing the labor force by the total working age population (civilian, non-institutionalized, and 16 or older).
How is the unemployment rate calculated and who is considered unemployed?
The unemployment rate is calculated by dividing the number of unemployed people by the labor force.
Unemployed people in this case includes anyone not currently employed but actively seeking and available for work, regardless of whether they are receiving unemployment insurance benefits. This includes people entering the labor force for the first time and re-entering the labor force.
What is benchmarking?
At the start of each year, Current Employment Statistics (CES) and Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) data series go through a benchmarking process. Benchmarking takes into consideration data inputs, historical updates, late tax filings, and other figures that call for revision (Bureau of Labor Statistics).