Press Release  Latest Seasonally Unadjusted Unemployment and Job Estimates for Local Labor Markets in Massachusetts for April 2022

Boston, MA — Local unemployment rates dropped in twenty-four labor market areas, in the state during the month of April compared to March, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported.

Compared to April 2021, the rates were down in twenty-four labor market areas.

Of the fifteen areas for which estimates are published, all fifteen areas gained jobs and one area had no changes. The largest percentage increases were in the Barnstable Town (+2.9%), Boston-Cambridge-Newton (+1.7%), Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford (+1.4%), and Leominster-Gardner (+1.2%) areas.

From April 2021 to April 2022, fourteen areas gained jobs with the largest percentage increases seen in Boston-Cambridge-Newton (+5.9%), Springfield (+4.9%), Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford (+4.8%) and Lawrence-Methuen Town-Salem (+4.5%) areas.

In order to compare the statewide rate to local unemployment rates, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the statewide-unadjusted unemployment rate for April 2022 was 3.3 percent, down 0.5 percentage point over-the-month.

Last week, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported the statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the month of April 2022 was 4.1 percent, down two-tenths of a percentage point from the March 2022 estimate of 4.3 percent.

The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed an increase of 10,500 jobs in April, and an over-the-year gain of 178,400 jobs.

The unadjusted unemployment rates and job estimates for the labor market areas reflect seasonal fluctuations and therefore may show different levels and trends than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.

The estimates for labor force, unemployment rates and jobs for Massachusetts are based on different statistical methodology specified by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

NOTES: The preliminary May 2022 and the revised April 2022 unemployment rates, labor force data and jobs estimates for Massachusetts will be released on Friday, June 17, 2022; local unemployment statistics will be released on Tuesday, June 21, 2022. Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/lmi.  See the 2022 Media Advisory for complete list of release dates.

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