Counties in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

Nantucket County had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 14 counties in 2024, at 71.8%. Barnstable County had the lowest, at 58.3%. The median was 66.6% and the figure for Massachusetts was 67%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest71.8Nantucket County
Median66.614 counties
Massachusetts67History

Map of counties, 2024

Barnstable County: 58.3 %Berkshire County: 60.5 %Bristol County: 65.2 %Dukes County: 67.3 %Essex County: 67.5 %Franklin County: 62.4 %Hampden County: 60.1 %Hampshire County: 61.5 %Middlesex County: 69.9 %Nantucket County: 71.8 %Norfolk County: 69.2 %Plymouth County: 66.7 %Suffolk County: 69.8 %Worcester County: 66.5 %
  • Under 61
  • 61 to 65
  • 65 to 67
  • 67 to 69
  • 69 and over
%, 2024. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2024

Nantucket County: 71.8 %Nantucket County71.8Middlesex County: 69.9 %Middlesex County69.9Suffolk County: 69.8 %Suffolk County69.8Norfolk County: 69.2 %Norfolk County69.2Essex County: 67.5 %Essex County67.5Dukes County: 67.3 %Dukes County67.3Plymouth County: 66.7 %Plymouth County66.7Worcester County: 66.5 %Worcester County66.5Bristol County: 65.2 %Bristol County65.2Franklin County: 62.4 %Franklin County62.4Hampshire County: 61.5 %Hampshire County61.5Berkshire County: 60.5 %Berkshire County60.5Hampden County: 60.1 %Hampden County60.1Barnstable County: 58.3 %Barnstable County58.3Nantucket County: 71.8 %Nantucket County71.8Middlesex County: 69.9 %Middlesex County69.9Suffolk County: 69.8 %Suffolk County69.8Norfolk County: 69.2 %Norfolk County69.2Essex County: 67.5 %Essex County67.5Dukes County: 67.3 %Dukes County67.3Plymouth County: 66.7 %Plymouth County66.7Worcester County: 66.5 %Worcester County66.5Bristol County: 65.2 %Bristol County65.2Franklin County: 62.4 %Franklin County62.4Hampshire County: 61.5 %Hampshire County61.5Berkshire County: 60.5 %Berkshire County60.5Hampden County: 60.1 %Hampden County60.1Barnstable County: 58.3 %Barnstable County58.3
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Nantucket County71.8-1.2 pts
2Middlesex County69.9-0.1 pts
3Suffolk County69.8-0.5 pts
4Norfolk County69.2-0.1 pts
5Essex County67.5-0.3 pts
6Dukes County67.3+0.7 pts
7Plymouth County66.7-0 pts
8Worcester County66.5-0.1 pts
9Bristol County65.2-0.1 pts
10Franklin County62.4-0.3 pts
11Hampshire County61.5-0.1 pts
12Berkshire County60.5-0.5 pts
13Hampden County60.1-0.6 pts
14Barnstable County58.3-1 pts

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 counties are compared on one definition. 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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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 (Counties in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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, Counties in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/massachusetts-counties. 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. Counties in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/massachusetts-counties.

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, Counties in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/massachusetts-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_massachusetts_by_2024,
  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: Counties in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/massachusetts-counties. 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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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: Counties in Massachusetts by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/massachusetts-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/massachusetts-counties.
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. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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rank_places {"indicator":"labor_force_participation_rate_acs","level":"province","within":"Massachusetts","limit":10}
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Questions

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

Nantucket County, with 71.8% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Barnstable County, with 58.3% in 2024.

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. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Counties in Massachusetts: more rankings