Massachusetts Unemployment Up Slightly in November

BOSTON — The state’s November total unemployment rate was 4.0%, a 0.1% increase from the revised October estimate of 3.9%, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development announced. The Massachusetts unemployment rate was 0.2% lower than the national rate of 4.2% reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Over the year, the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was up by 0.7%.

The labor force increased by an estimated 400 from the revised estimate of 3,853,600 in October, with 3,100 fewer residents employed and 3,500 more residents unemployed over the month. 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 — remained steady at 66.4%. Compared to November 2023, the labor-force participation rate increased by 1.5% over the year.

The BLS preliminary job estimates for Massachusetts increased by 800 jobs in November, following October’s revised loss of 1,700 jobs. The largest over-the-month private-sector job gains were in leisure and hospitality, education and health services, and financial activities. Employment now stands at 3,743,600. Massachusetts gained 680,100 jobs since the employment low in April 2020.

From November 2023 to November 2024, BLS estimates Massachusetts gained 27,100 jobs. The largest over-the-year gains occurred in education and health services, government, and leisure and hospitality.