Data / Rankings / Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in Massachusetts

Cities in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Somerville, MA had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 54 cities in 2021, at 79.4%. Amherst Town, MA had the lowest, at 54.7%. The median was 67.9% and the figure for Massachusetts was 67.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest79.4Somerville, MA
Lowest54.7Amherst Town, MA
Median67.954 cities
Massachusetts67.2History

All cities, 2021

Somerville, MA: 79.4 %Somerville, MA79.4Marlborough, MA: 74.1 %Marlborough, MA74.1Everett, MA: 73.3 %Everett, MA73.3Medford, MA: 73 %Medford, MA73Woburn, MA: 71.8 %Woburn, MA71.8Franklin Town, MA: 71.5 %Franklin Town, MA71.5North Attleborough Town, MA: 71.4 %North Attleborough Town, MA71.4Framingham, MA: 71.4 %Framingham, MA71.4Quincy, MA: 70.9 %Quincy, MA70.9Haverhill, MA: 70.9 %Haverhill, MA70.9Melrose, MA: 70.7 %Melrose, MA70.7Weymouth Town, MA: 70.6 %Weymouth Town, MA70.6Braintree Town, MA: 70.6 %Braintree Town, MA70.6Salem, MA: 70.1 %Salem, MA70.1Attleboro, MA: 70 %Attleboro, MA70Boston, MA: 69.7 %Boston, MA69.7Revere, MA: 69.4 %Revere, MA69.4Cambridge, MA: 69.4 %Cambridge, MA69.4Newburyport, MA: 69.4 %Newburyport, MA69.4Chelsea, MA: 69.2 %Chelsea, MA69.2Winthrop Town, MA: 69.2 %Winthrop Town, MA69.2Waltham, MA: 69.1 %Waltham, MA69.1Malden, MA: 68.9 %Malden, MA68.9Brockton, MA: 68.5 %Brockton, MA68.5Randolph Town, MA: 68 %Randolph Town, MA68Lawrence, MA: 68 %Lawrence, MA68Beverly, MA: 68 %Beverly, MA68Leominster, MA: 67.9 %Leominster, MA67.9West Springfield Town, MA: 67.8 %West Springfield Town, MA67.8Lowell, MA: 67.2 %Lowell, MA67.2Barnstable Town, MA: 67.1 %Barnstable Town, MA67.1Lynn, MA: 66.9 %Lynn, MA66.9Agawam Town, MA: 66.6 %Agawam Town, MA66.6Fitchburg, MA: 65.9 %Fitchburg, MA65.9Newton, MA: 65.9 %Newton, MA65.9Taunton, MA: 65.8 %Taunton, MA65.8Gloucester, MA: 65.4 %Gloucester, MA65.4Peabody, MA: 64.4 %Peabody, MA64.4Bridgewater Town, MA: 64.2 %Bridgewater Town, MA64.2Pittsfield, MA: 63.2 %Pittsfield, MA63.2Southbridge Town, MA: 62.9 %Southbridge Town, MA62.9New Bedford, MA: 62.9 %New Bedford, MA62.9Worcester, MA: 62.5 %Worcester, MA62.5Palmer Town, MA: 62.5 %Palmer Town, MA62.5Northampton, MA: 61.4 %Northampton, MA61.4Chicopee, MA: 61.2 %Chicopee, MA61.2Westfield, MA: 61.1 %Westfield, MA61.1Fall River, MA: 60.4 %Fall River, MA60.4North Adams, MA: 59.3 %North Adams, MA59.3Greenfield, MA: 59 %Greenfield, MA59Gardner, MA: 58.6 %Gardner, MA58.6Springfield, MA: 56.8 %Springfield, MA56.8Holyoke, MA: 54.7 %Holyoke, MA54.7Amherst Town, MA: 54.7 %Amherst Town, MA54.7Somerville, MA: 79.4 %Somerville, MA79.4Marlborough, MA: 74.1 %Marlborough, MA74.1Everett, MA: 73.3 %Everett, MA73.3Medford, MA: 73 %Medford, MA73Woburn, MA: 71.8 %Woburn, MA71.8Franklin Town, MA: 71.5 %Franklin Town, MA71.5North Attleborough Town, MA: 71.4 %North Attleborough Town, MA71.4Framingham, MA: 71.4 %Framingham, MA71.4Quincy, MA: 70.9 %Quincy, MA70.9Haverhill, MA: 70.9 %Haverhill, MA70.9Melrose, MA: 70.7 %Melrose, MA70.7Weymouth Town, MA: 70.6 %Weymouth Town, MA70.6Braintree Town, MA: 70.6 %Braintree Town, MA70.6Salem, MA: 70.1 %Salem, MA70.1Attleboro, MA: 70 %Attleboro, MA70Boston, MA: 69.7 %Boston, MA69.7Revere, MA: 69.4 %Revere, MA69.4Cambridge, MA: 69.4 %Cambridge, MA69.4Newburyport, MA: 69.4 %Newburyport, MA69.4Chelsea, MA: 69.2 %Chelsea, MA69.2Winthrop Town, MA: 69.2 %Winthrop Town, MA69.2Waltham, MA: 69.1 %Waltham, MA69.1Malden, MA: 68.9 %Malden, MA68.9Brockton, MA: 68.5 %Brockton, MA68.5Randolph Town, MA: 68 %Randolph Town, MA68Lawrence, MA: 68 %Lawrence, MA68Beverly, MA: 68 %Beverly, MA68Leominster, MA: 67.9 %Leominster, MA67.9West Springfield Town, MA: 67.8 %West Springfield Town, MA67.8Lowell, MA: 67.2 %Lowell, MA67.2Barnstable Town, MA: 67.1 %Barnstable Town, MA67.1Lynn, MA: 66.9 %Lynn, MA66.9Agawam Town, MA: 66.6 %Agawam Town, MA66.6Fitchburg, MA: 65.9 %Fitchburg, MA65.9Newton, MA: 65.9 %Newton, MA65.9Taunton, MA: 65.8 %Taunton, MA65.8Gloucester, MA: 65.4 %Gloucester, MA65.4Peabody, MA: 64.4 %Peabody, MA64.4Bridgewater Town, MA: 64.2 %Bridgewater Town, MA64.2Pittsfield, MA: 63.2 %Pittsfield, MA63.2Southbridge Town, MA: 62.9 %Southbridge Town, MA62.9New Bedford, MA: 62.9 %New Bedford, MA62.9Worcester, MA: 62.5 %Worcester, MA62.5Palmer Town, MA: 62.5 %Palmer Town, MA62.5Northampton, MA: 61.4 %Northampton, MA61.4Chicopee, MA: 61.2 %Chicopee, MA61.2Westfield, MA: 61.1 %Westfield, MA61.1Fall River, MA: 60.4 %Fall River, MA60.4North Adams, MA: 59.3 %North Adams, MA59.3Greenfield, MA: 59 %Greenfield, MA59Gardner, MA: 58.6 %Gardner, MA58.6Springfield, MA: 56.8 %Springfield, MA56.8Holyoke, MA: 54.7 %Holyoke, MA54.7Amherst Town, MA: 54.7 %Amherst Town, MA54.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2021 (%)
1Somerville, MA79.4
2Marlborough, MA74.1
3Everett, MA73.3
4Medford, MA73
5Woburn, MA71.8
6Franklin Town, MA71.5
7North Attleborough Town, MA71.4
8Framingham, MA71.4
9Quincy, MA70.9
10Haverhill, MA70.9
11Melrose, MA70.7
12Weymouth Town, MA70.6
13Braintree Town, MA70.6
14Salem, MA70.1
15Attleboro, MA70
16Boston, MA69.7
17Revere, MA69.4
18Cambridge, MA69.4
18Newburyport, MA69.4
20Chelsea, MA69.2
21Winthrop Town, MA69.2
22Waltham, MA69.1
23Malden, MA68.9
24Brockton, MA68.5
25Randolph Town, MA68
26Lawrence, MA68
27Beverly, MA68
28Leominster, MA67.9
29West Springfield Town, MA67.8
30Lowell, MA67.2
31Barnstable Town, MA67.1
32Lynn, MA66.9
33Agawam Town, MA66.6
34Fitchburg, MA65.9
35Newton, MA65.9
36Taunton, MA65.8
37Gloucester, MA65.4
38Peabody, MA64.4
39Bridgewater Town, MA64.2
40Pittsfield, MA63.2
41Southbridge Town, MA62.9
42New Bedford, MA62.9
43Worcester, MA62.5
44Palmer Town, MA62.5
45Northampton, MA61.4
46Chicopee, MA61.2
47Westfield, MA61.1
48Fall River, MA60.4
49North Adams, MA59.3
50Greenfield, MA59
51Gardner, MA58.6
52Springfield, MA56.8
53Holyoke, MA54.7
54Amherst Town, MA54.7

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 16 and over in the labor force (employed, unemployed or in the Armed Forces) as a percentage of all people aged 16 and over, including people in group quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The Census Bureau definition used in its data profiles. It differs from the BLS labor_force_participation_rate, which counts the civilian noninstitutional population only.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. 4 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2021 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_massachusetts_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/massachusetts-cities?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which city has the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Somerville, MA, with 79.4% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Amherst Town, MA, with 54.7% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 4 cities have no value for 2021 and are not ranked.

Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Cities in Massachusetts: more rankings