Press Release  Massachusetts Unemployment and Job Estimates for March 2025

BOSTON — The state’s March total unemployment rate was 4.4 percent, a 0.1 percentage point increase from the revised February estimate of 4.3 percent, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced Friday. The Massachusetts unemployment rate was 0.2 percentage points above the national rate of 4.2 percent reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Over-the-year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was up by 0.6 percentage points. The April unemployment and job estimates will be released on May 16, 2025.

At the same time, the labor force increased by an estimated 3,800 from the revised estimate of 3,932,300 in February. The state’s labor force participation rate – the total number of residents 16 or older who worked or were unemployed and actively sought work in the last four weeks – increased by 0.1 percentage point to 66.6 percent. Compared to March 2024, the labor force participation rate increased by 0.4 percentage points over-the-year. Massachusetts Labor Force Participation Rate was 4.1 percentage points higher than the national rate.

The BLS preliminary payroll job estimates for Massachusetts increased by 4,400 jobs in March. This follows February’s revised loss of 4,600 jobs. The largest over-the-month private sector job gains were in Professional, Scientific, and Business Services, Education and Health Services, and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities. Employment now stands at 3,718,700. Massachusetts gained 661,900 jobs since the employment low in April 2020.

According to preliminary data from BLS, 1,700 fewer Massachusetts residents were employed in March. This follows a February increase of 2,700 employed residents. This data includes individuals who are self-employed, including contractors, construction managers, physicians, and drivers.

March 2025 Payroll Employment Overview

• Professional, Scientific, and Business Services gained 2,900 jobs over-the-month. Over-the-year, 4,200 were lost.
• Education and Health Services gained 1,700 jobs over-the-month. Over-the-year, 10,100 were added.
• Trade, Transportation, and Utilities gained 600 jobs over-the-month. Over-the-year, 4,800 were lost.
• Government gained 500 jobs over-the-month. Over-the-year, 1,000 were added.
• Information gained 400 jobs over-the-month. Over-the-year, 2,300 were lost.
• Financial Activities gained 400 jobs over-the-month. Over-the-year, 100 were lost.
• Other Services gained 300 jobs over-the-month. Over-the-year, 500 were lost.
• Manufacturing gained 100 jobs over-the-month. Over-the-year, 2,800 were lost.
• Leisure and Hospitality lost 300 jobs over-the-month. Over-the-year, 400 were lost.
• Construction lost 2,200 jobs over-the-month. Over-the-year, 7,100 were lost.

Labor Force Overview

The March estimates show 3,762,000 Massachusetts residents were employed and 174,100 were unemployed, for a total labor force of 3,936,100. The unemployment rate at 4.4 percent was 0.1 percentage point higher than the revised February rate of 4.3 percent. Over-the-month, the March labor force increased by 3,800 from 3,932,300 in February, with 1,600 fewer residents employed and 5,400 more residents unemployed. The labor force participation rate, the share of the working age population employed and unemployed, increased by 0.1 percentage point to 66.6 percent. The labor force was up 54,800 from the March 2024 estimate of 3,881,300 following the annual revision, with 29,200 more employed residents, and 25,600 more unemployed residents.

The unemployment rate is based on a monthly sample of households. The job estimates are derived from a monthly sample survey of employers. As a result, the two statistics may exhibit different monthly trends.

NOTES:

The labor force is the sum of the numbers of employed residents and those unemployed, that is, residents not working but actively seeking work in the last four weeks. Estimates may not add up to the total labor force due to rounding.

For further information on seasonal adjustment methodology, please refer to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website https://www.bls.gov.

The preliminary April 2025 and revised March 2025 unemployment rate, labor force, and job estimates for Massachusetts will be released on Friday, May 16, 2025. See the 2025 Media Advisory annual schedule for a complete list of release dates.

Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/economicresearch.  

This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration.

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