Economy and Workforce
Unemployment Rate

Maintaining


Unemployment Rate

What does this measure?

Unemployed individuals are those without jobs who are able, available and actively seeking work. The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people as a percentage of the total labor force (the total number of employed and unemployed individuals 16 or older and not living in prisons, mental hospitals, or nursing homes).

Why is this important?

Unemployment rates are a relatively timely indicator of current local economic conditions, particularly recent changes in the employment landscape that reflect the overall health of the economy.

How is our region doing?

The unemployment rate in MetroWest was 3.3% in 2022, which represented about 58,300 people seeking employment. Subsequent to a peak in unemployment during the 2008 recession, the unemployment rate had been steadily declining, year-over-year, to 3% in 2019. However, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a surge of unemployment, pushing 2020 rates above 2009 recessionary rates. The state and nation also had a corresponding jump in unemployment, with rates of 9.4% and 8.1%, respectively, in 2020, significantly higher than their respective 2019 rates of 3% and 3.7%.

Notes about the data

The unemployment rate represents only those who are actively seeking employment and does not account for under-employment or discouraged workers who have stopped looking for jobs. Also, county-level estimates are based on relatively small samples, and the true number of unemployed residents may vary considerably from the estimate. The rates reported here are averages of monthly rates.

Unemployment Rate
20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
United States4.0%4.7%5.8%6.0%5.5%5.1%4.6%4.6%5.8%9.3%9.6%8.9%8.1%7.4%6.2%5.3%4.9%4.4%3.9%3.7%8.1%5.3%3.6%
Massachusetts2.8%3.8%5.2%5.7%5.1%4.8%4.7%4.5%5.3%8.1%8.1%7.2%6.7%6.6%5.7%4.8%4.0%3.8%3.5%3.0%9.4%5.5%3.8%
Region2.4%3.5%5.0%5.4%4.7%4.3%4.3%4.1%4.8%7.5%7.3%6.4%6.0%5.9%5.1%4.3%3.6%3.4%3.1%2.7%8.3%4.9%3.3%
Middlesex County2.3%3.4%4.9%5.2%4.4%4.0%3.9%3.7%4.3%6.9%6.7%5.9%5.4%5.4%4.7%3.9%3.3%3.1%2.8%2.4%7.7%4.5%3.1%
Norfolk County2.4%3.2%4.6%5.1%4.5%4.1%4.1%3.9%4.7%7.3%7.2%6.3%5.7%5.7%5.0%4.2%3.5%3.4%3.1%2.6%8.8%5.0%3.3%
Worcester County2.9%3.9%5.6%6.1%5.5%5.2%5.1%5.0%5.8%8.9%8.6%7.7%7.2%7.1%6.1%5.1%4.3%4.0%3.7%3.3%9.2%5.7%3.9%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics




Total Unemployed
20002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022
United States5,692,0006,801,0008,378,0008,774,0008,149,0007,591,0007,001,0007,078,0008,924,00014,265,00014,825,00013,747,00012,506,00011,460,0009,617,0008,296,0007,751,0006,982,0006,314,0006,001,00012,947,0008,623,0005,996,000
Massachusetts94,210128,540179,347195,695173,839162,583160,659155,327183,607280,925280,687251,677235,201233,545204,704172,113145,171142,131132,571116,181350,774207,291140,752
Region38,07054,83379,76385,68573,69268,01766,53164,15776,023118,861117,479103,37196,53896,27384,23870,82660,01359,00154,85647,792144,83185,08058,301
Middlesex County18,55927,82340,91843,06035,76932,69531,69330,20835,87556,76455,50348,65445,52845,51139,88433,77028,68628,22826,04422,48369,47240,59927,912
Norfolk County8,53311,55816,55218,07215,91714,64814,51913,94016,80426,11025,88522,48320,65420,84218,34415,35613,04113,02512,15710,48634,35919,37313,081
Worcester County10,97815,45222,29324,55322,00620,67420,31920,00923,34435,98736,09132,23430,35629,92026,01021,70018,28617,74816,65514,82341,00025,10817,308

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics




INDICATORS REGIONAL TREND
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Not Applicable
Reports of Domestic Violence Not Applicable
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Not Applicable
Households Without Vehicles Not Applicable
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Not Applicable
Average Charitable Contribution Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Not Applicable
Opioid Overdose Mortality Rate Not Applicable
Crimes Against People Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Tourism Spending Not Applicable
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Employment Not Applicable
Arts Grants Distribution Not Applicable
Arts and Culture Attendance Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Not Applicable
Language Diversity Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Change in Population by Age/Gender Not Applicable
Seniors Living Alone Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Not Applicable
Change in Total Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Not Applicable
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Not Applicable
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
School Spending Per Student Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Arts Teachers in Public Schools Not Applicable
Students Taking Arts Courses Not Applicable
Students Taking Arts Courses, by Grade Level Not Applicable
Students Taking Arts Courses, by Student Group Not Applicable
Students Taking Arts Courses, by Subject Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
80/20 Income Ratio Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homelessness Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Tourism Spending Not Applicable
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Employment Not Applicable
Arts Grants Distribution Not Applicable
Arts and Culture Attendance Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Arts Teachers in Public Schools Not Applicable
Students Taking Arts Courses Not Applicable
Students Taking Arts Courses, by Grade Level Not Applicable
Students Taking Arts Courses, by Student Group Not Applicable
Students Taking Arts Courses, by Subject Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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